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University  of  California  •  Berkeley 


How  TO  MAKE  INDIAN  AND 
OTHER  BASKETS. 


SECOND     EDITION. 


By  GEORGE  WHARTON  JAMES 

AUTHOR   OF 

INDIAN     BASKETRY, 
THE  GRAND  CANYON   OF  THE  COLORADO    RIVER   IN   ARIZONA, 

THE  INDIANS  OF  THE   PAINTED    DESERT  REGION, 

TRAVELERS'    HANDBOOK    TO    SOUTHERN    CALIFORNIA, 

ETC.,    ETC. 


Printed  expressly  by  the  author, 

GEORGE  WHARTON  JAMES, 

Pasadena,    California. 


BY  GEORGE  WHARTON  JAMES. 

IN  AND  AROUND  THE  GRAND  CANYON  OF  THE 
COLORADO  RIVER  IN  ARIZONA. 

THIRD    EDITION.      346    PAGES        CLOTH.       8VO 
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THE    INDIANS  OF  THE  PAINTED   DESERT    REGION. 

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INDIAN     BASKETRY. 

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HOW   TO   MAKE    INDIAN   AND  OTHER    BASKETS. 

SECOND    EDITION.      1 4O    PAGES.      CLOTH.      8VO 
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THE    OLD    MISSIONS    AND    MISSION    INDIANS   OF 
CALIFORNIA. 

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TO     M  Y     PATH  E  R 

JOHN    JAMES 

ONCE    A    BASKET    MAKER 

"A  WORKMAN  THAT  NEEDED  NOT  TO  BE  ASHAMED" 

WHO,  THOUGH  DEAD,  YET  LIVETH 

IN    MANY    REMEMBRANCES   OF    HIS    NOBLE 

AND    STRENUOUS     LIFE     EVER     UNSturJSri^v 

AIMED    TOWARDS   THE    HIGHEST   GOOD 

OF   OTHERS. 


ALSO     TO 

JOHN    PHILIP  SHERIDAN    NELIGH, 

ONE   OF   THE    FIRST 
IF  NOT 

THE  FIRST 

TEACHER   OF    BASKETRY 
IN  THE  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS 
OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 


HOW   TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER   BASKETS. 


HOW  TO  MAKE  INDIAN  AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 


INTRODUCTION. 


Just  now  the  making  of  Indian  and  other  baskets  is  a  fad.  Like 
all  other  fads  it  will  have  its  day  and  then  die.  But  unlike  many  fads 
there  is  something  in  the  making  of  baskets  that  will  keep  the  art 
alive,  when  those  who  practised  it  merely  as  a  fad  have  forgotten  that 
they  ever  were  interested  in  it. 

It  is  singularly  appropriate  that  I,  the  son  of  my  father,  should 
write  a  treatise  on  basket  making.  The  earliest  remembrances  of  my 
life  are  connected  with  that  art,  as  my  father  was  a  basket  maker,  not 
simply  a  trader  in  baskets,  but  personally  a  skilled  workman  himself. 
My  oldest  brother,  too,  learned  the  art  and  was  a  good  workman. 

Well  do  I  remember,  as  a  child,  a  season  when  coal  was  dear  and 
scarce,  as  during  the  recent  Eastern  coal  strike.  My  father,  always 
a  man  of  originality,  rose  at  once  to  meet  the  occasion,  and  made  a 
mixture  of  coal  dust  and  the  thick  ends  or  "nubbins"  cut  from  the 
ends  of  new  splints  or  "weavers"  introduced  into  the  coarse  kinds  of 
baskets. 

We  used  the  old-fashioned  English  grates,  and  after  a  fire  of  coals 
was  well  alight  my  father  would  take  a  coal  scuttle  full  of  this  mix- 
ture which  he  called  "backing,"  and  throw  it  up  on  the  top  of  the  fire 
and  well  back  into  the  throat  of  the  chimney.  In  half  an  hour  or  less 
it  would  be  a  bed  of  fire,  throwing  its  grateful  heat  into  the  colci  room 
and  cheering  all  who  came  within  its  influence. 

Two  of  his  workmen  were  father  and  son,  named  Fields.  The 
young  man  was  "Lige,"  and  into  my  youthful  ears  he  used  to  pour  his 
tales  of  woe  at  the  hardships  of  a  basket-maker's  life.  In  the  making 
of  some  of  the  larger  and  coarser  baskets  the  bottoms,  after  being 
started,  were  pinned  through  the  center  with  a  large  steel  bodkin  to 
a  heavy  flat  board,  and,  treading  on  the  work  itself  the  weavers  were 
woven  in,  the  worker  bending  down  almost  double  over  the  work. 
When  I  bent  over  for  a  few  minutes  my  childish  back  seemed  to  be 
broken,  and  when  I  asked  Lige  how  he  could  endure  it  for  hours  at  a 
time  his  solemn  asseveration  was  that  "he'd  had  his  backbone  taken 
out,"  or  he  never  could  do  it. 

After  I  came  to  the  United  States  the  work  of  the  Paiuti  Indians 
soon  arrested  my  attention,  and  I  began  the  studies  which  culminated 
two  years  ago  in  the  publication  of  my  "Indian  Basketry." 

Now  that  the  work  of  Basket  Making  is  being  taken  up  in  earnest, 
I  wish  to  do  my  share  in  helping  it  along  by  making  a  book  of  helpful 
instructions  and  hints  that  will  be  worthy  the  dignity  of  the  subject. 

It  has<  been  my  purpose  in  arranging  the  following  pages  to  intro- 
duce all  the  stitches,  practically  usable,  from  the  simplest  to  the  most 
complex.  The  earlier  lessons,  of  course,  are  for  children,  but  it  will  do 


HOW   TO   MAKE  INDIAN   AND   OTHER  BASKETS. 


HOW   TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER    BASKETS.  7 

no  harm  to  adults  to  do  the  work  here  outlined.  The  skill  and  dext- 
erity thus  gained  will  be  exceedingly  useful  in  the  later  work. 

A  variety  of  materials  has  been  introduced  purposely,  to  show  what 
may  be  done  and  to  stimulate  to  personal  investigation  and  experi- 
ment. Teachers  should  encourage  their  pupils  to  try  every  possible 
material.  Thus  invention  is  stimulated,  and  not  only  may  valuable  dis- 
coveries be  the  result,  but  individual  thought  and  expression  are 
secured. 

Let  me  at  the  outset  say  that  the  divisions  of  the  subject  are  purely 
arbitrary.  It  does  not  necessarily  follow  that  the  coil  weave  is  harder 
than  the  mat  weave  because  the  latter  comes  first  in  the  book.  It  was 
necessary  to  make  some  divisions,  and  these  were  thought  the  best 
for  the  purpose  in  view. 

In  this  work  I  have  tried  to  suggest  to  the  teacher  how  to  make 
the  subject  more  interesting  to  her  pupils.  Put  human  interest  into 
any  subject  and  it  enlivens  it.  A  pile  of  rocks  means  little  to  an  un- 
imaginative child,  but  tell  that  same  child  that  this  pile  was  once  a 
castle,  peopled  by  lords  and  ladies,  who  lived  in  stirring  times ;  who 
achieved  things ;  who  went  forth  to  war  with  all  pomp  and  ceremony, 
and  returned  flushed  with  victory  or  sad  and  despondent  through  de- 
feat ;  that  it  was  a  place  where  children  were  born,  educated,  married 
and  died ;  where  lovers,  true  and  false,  walked  and  plighted  their  troth ; 
indeed,  where  all  the  events  that  go  to  make  up  life  transpired,  and  the 
lifeless  pile  is  transformed  into  a  palpable  living  entity,  or,  at  least, 
into  an  object  from  which  imagination  may  conjure  countless  fascinat- 
ing and  interesting  pictures. 

It  is  this  thought  that  should  animate  every  teacher  and  worker  in 
basketry.  In  going  out  to  choose  materials  let  the  children  feel  as  the 
Indian  felt ;  let  them  select  as  the  Indian  did.  Teach  them  the  value  of 
failure.  That  failure  means  endeavor,  and  endeavor  persisted  in  is 
never  failure.  That  the  Indian  had  to  learn  everything  in  that  way. 
She  had  no  other  teacher  than  experience,  and  that  knowledge  gained 
by  experience  is  sure  and  certain,  while  what  we  read  or  are  told  may 
be  inaccurate  or  positively  false. 

Let  the  child  experiment  in  the  drying,  dyeing,  and  general  prepara- 
tion of  the  material ;  let  him  make  his  own  selections ;  let  him  deter- 
mine what  is  best  adapted  for  this  basket  and  for  that.  Stimulate  his 
inventiveness  in  the  use  of  materials,  and  dyes,  and  their  preparation 
and  in  the  shape,  design,  and  weave  of  his  baskets.  Show  him  that  all 
progress  comes  that  way.  Let  him  know  that  while  he  is  doing  this 
experimenting  he  is  following  exactly  the  plan  of  Edison,  and  Gray, 
and  Bell,  and  Lowe,  and  others  of  our  great  inventors  who  have  given 
us  telephones,  telegraphs,  electric  cars,  water  gas,  and  the  thousand 
and  one  things  that  mean  our  progressive  civilization. 

For  material  for  these  pages  I  have  ransacked  everything  I  could 
find.  Where  possible,  I  have  given  full  credit  for  everything  bor- 
rowed. If  I  have  failed  to  do  so  I  gladly  apologize  and  in  later  edi- 
tions will  make  the  necessary  acknowledgements  or  corrections  if 
some  kind  reader  will  call  my  attention  to  them. 

Especially  do  I  wish  to  thank  Mr.  John  Sheridan  Neligh,  director 
of  the  Industrial  School  of  Columbus,  Ga.,  and,  as  far  as  I  can  learn, 
one  of  the  first,  if  not  the  first,  teacher  of  basketry  in  the  schools  of  the 


8 


HOW  TO   MAKE  INDIAN  AND   OTHER  BASKETS. 


United  States,  for  original  suggestions,  baskets  to  photograph,  and 
help  given  in  a  variety  of  ways.  And  these  thanks  also  include  his 
helpful  wife. 

My  grateful  acknowledgements  are  also  tendered  to  Miss  Annie 


FIG.    3.      CORN    HUSK    POPPY    BASKET,    DESIGNED 

AND  MADE  BY  MARGARET   C.   WHITING, 

DEERFIELD,    MASS. 

Firth,  from  whose  ''Cane  Basket  Work"  I  have  bodily  taken  much 
valuable  material.  I  'hope  in  return  Miss  Firth  will  find  as  much  in 
my  suggestions  that  she  can  avail  herself  of  for  English  readers.  If 
she  can,  I  assure  her  she  is  most  heartily  welcome. 

Miss  Mary  White's  ''How  to  Make  Baskets"  has  also  been  drawn 
from. 

Miss  M.  B.  Hyde,  of  Teachers'  College,  Columbia  University,  has 
been  most  generous  in  her  helpfulness.  For  all  the  photographs  of 


HOW   TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER   BASKETS.  9 

work  made  by  the  students  at  the  college  and  the  major  part  of  the 
chapter  on  dyes  I  am  indebted  to  her,  and  the  practical  character  of 
her  work  will  prove  a  boon  to  all  my  readers. 

In  these  lessons  I  have  begun  with  the  simplest  materials  and 
work.  The  purpose  is  to  give  to  the  solitary  student  every  advantage 
for  self  training  and  to  every  teacher  suggestions  which  will  aid  in  her 
work  with  children.  To  any  person  the  exercises  will  be  helpful. 


FIG.   143.     SPOKES   TURNED   UP   FOR    SIDES. 

There  are  five  simple  methods  of  work,  all  of  which  it  is  well  to  under- 
stand. These  are  distinguished  by  the  following  names:  I.  The  mat. 
II.  The  plait.  III.  The  net.  IV.  The  coil.  V.  The  web.  While 
in  some  regards  these  five  methods  overlap  each  other,  I  have  deemed 
it  best  to  discuss  each  one  separately. 

The  two  chapters  respectively  on  The  Choice  and  the  Preparation 
of  Materials  may  be  skipped  or  not  as  the  reader  desires. 


FIG.  4.     FANCY  SPLINT  BASKET. 
Courtesy  Hyde  Exploring  Expedition,  New  York. 


HOW   TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER    BASKETS.  II 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE  SPIRIT  IN  WHICH  BASKET    MAKING    SHOULD    BE 

APPROACHED. 

Browning  well  wrote : 

"Not  on  the  vulgar  mass  called  work 
Must  judgement  pass." 

There  is  more  in  life  than  the  mere  outward  expressions  of  it  we 
call  "work,"  and  in  the  work  of  basket-making  much  will  depend  upon 
the  motive,  the  spirit,  in  which  it  is  approached  and  done.  The  true 
imitator  of  Indian  work — or,  perhaps,  it  would  be  better  to  say,  the 
true  worker  desirous  of  emulating  Indian  work — must  approach  it  in 
the  true  Indian  spirit  and  this  I  have  endeavored  to  describe  in  my 
larger  book  on  Indian  Basketry.  Suffice  it  to  say  here  that  the  basket 
to  the  uncontaminated  Indian  meant  a  work  of  art,  in  which  hope,  aspi- 
ration, desire,  love,  religion,  poetry,  national  pride,  mythology,  were 
all  more  or  less  interwoven.  Hence  the  work  was  approached  in  a 
spirit  as  far  removed  from  that  of  mare  commercialism,  passing  whim 
or  fancy,  as  it  was  from  that  of  levity,  carelessness,  or  indifference. 

There  was  an  earnestness  of  purpose,  a  conscientiousness  of  en- 
deavor in  the  gathering  of  the  materials,  their  preparation,  their  har- 
moniousness,  and  then  in  the  shape,  the  design,  the  weave,  the  tout 
ensemble,  that  made  basket-making  to  the  old  Indians  almost  an  act 
of  religion. 

It  was  a  perfect  exemplification  of  the  idea  suggested  by  the  good 
poet  Herbert,  I  believe,  who  said  something  of  the  sublimity  of  the 
right  sweeping  out  of  a  room. 

Now  all  this  is  the  veriest  nonsense  to  the  person  who  is  merely 
making  baskets  for  "the  money  there  is  in  it,"  or  "because  it  is  quite 
the  rage,"  and  such  people  had  better  read  no  further.  But  to  the 
emotion-full,  sentient,  poetic  of  my  readers  the  ideas  given  will  clearly 
illuminate  what  follows.  The  attitude  of  mind  and  heart  in  the 
basket-maker  clearly  should  be:  If  the  poor  uncivilized  Indian  thus 
felt  when  she  approached  her  work,  should  not  I,  the  product  of  a 
higher  civilization,  at  least  feel  as'  much? 

If  she  sought  to  present  the  ihighest  she  saw  in  Nature  in  the  most 
perfect  fashion,  should  not  I  also  seek  to  do  the  same? 

An  affirmative  answer  then  compels  a  study  of  Indian  Basketry 
forms*,  designs,  colors  and  weaves.  This  will  produce  a  growing  love 
for  them.  From  this  the  natural  process  will  be  a  reference  of  the 
Indian  work  to  their  original  source,  viz.,  Nature  herself.  And  in  Na- 
ture the  true  inspiration  will  be  found.  The  Indian's  forms  are  natu- 
ral ;  her  designs  are  natural ;  her  colors  are  natural ;  her  weaves  are 
natural ;  with  all  the  perfection  added  of  conscientious  art. 

This  at  once  eliminates  the  hideous-  and  grotesque  in  shape,  de- 
sign, color  and  weave.     There  are  no  fanciful  forms,  impossible  de- 
*  glaring,   inharmonious   colors,   inadequate   weaves.     Simplicity 


12 


HOW   TO   MAKE  INDIAN   AND   OTHER  BASKETS. 


is  the  keynote,  and  upon  this  the  triad  and  gamut  naturally  are 
built.  Diversity  without  end,  variety  illimitable,  effects  incalculable, 
yet  all  based  upon  natural  simplicity. 

Begin  then  by  training  yourself,  your  children,  your  pupils,  to  love 
the  simple  in  nature.     Learn  to  imitate  in  form,  design  and  color  the 


FIG.   5.     SPLINT  AND   SWEET  GRASS   FAN. 
Courtesy  Hyde  Exploring  Expedition,  New  York. 

simple  things.  Babisih  the  hideous,  the  grotesque,  the  ^  unnaturally 
complex  from  your  line  of  observation,  and  your  work  will  gradually 
take  upon  itself  the  character,  the  grace,  the  dignity,  the  power  that 
come  from  purity  and  simplicity. 


HOW   TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER    BASKETS.  13 

Elsewhere,  too,  I  have  shown  the  marvellous  personality  of  the 
basket.  How  that  each  one  has  a  significance  in  shape,  design  and 
color  all  its  own.  This  personality  cannot  be  deciphered  by  reading 
from  elements  as  in  hieroglyphics,  but  can  be  learned  only  from  the 
weaver's  own  lips.  In  your  work  endeavor  to  follow  this  Indian  idea. 
Make  your  basket  the  exponent  of  something  within  yourself,  then  the 
shape,  the  design,  the  colors  will  all  mean  something  more  to  you  than 
what  merely  shows  on  the  outside.  You  can  thus  make  the  basket  your 
poem,  your  sculpture,  your  painting,  your  cathedral,  as  the  Indian 


FIG.    6.     BASKETS  OF  SPLINT  AND  SWEET  GRASS. 
Courtesy  Hyde  Exploring  Expedition,  New  York. 


has  done.  Thus  work  and  worker  are  both  ennobled  and  there  are 
given  to  the  world  more  things  of  beauty  to  be  "joys  forever,"  and 
whose  "loveliness  will  increase  and  never  pass  into  nothingness." 

The  pleasure  of  such  achievements  as  this  who  can  tell,  and  the 
moral  uplift  as  desire  and  endeavor  are  crystalized  into  actuality,  who 
can  estimate  ? 

Thus  the  bas'ket  becomes  a  factor  in  moral  and  spiritual  develop- 
ment, as  well  as  a  useful  aid  in  training  towards  manual  dexterity 
and  skill. 


HOW   TO   MAKE  INDIAN   AND   OTHER  BASKETS. 


CHAPTER  III. 


CHOICE  OF  MATERIALS. 


Here,  as  elsewhere,  the  method  of  the  Indian  is  the  best  to  follow, 
if  one  would  get  the  real  value  out  of  basket  making.  Though  trade 
and  barter  were  common  with  the  primitive  Indians,  it  was  not  to  trade 
that  the  weaver  looked  for  her  basket-making  materials.  She  had  no 
store  to  which  she  could  go  and  purchase  cane,  raffia  or  willow  ready 
dyed  and  done  up  in  bundles  to  her  hand.  She  must  find  the  materials 
in  her  own  environment.  So  with  eyes  a-down,  senses  alert,  she  set 


FIG.   7.     BASE  OF  BASKETS   SHOWN  IN  FIG.   6. 
Courtesy  Hyde  Exploring  Expedition,  New  York. 

forth  to  'seek  for  splints,  filling  and  dye.  The  Hopi  found  the  willow, 
the  yucca  and  a  desert  grass  called  wu-u-shi.  The  Mono  found  the 
willow,  the  red  bud,  the  squaw-grass,  the  root  of  the  tule,  the  martynia. 
The  Haida  found  the  cedar  bark  and  spruce  root ;  the  Poma  slough 
root,  sweet  grass,  maiden  hair  fern  stem.  Thus  each  locality  yielded 
to  its  weavers  the  materials'  required  for  the  exercise  of  their  art 
Now  while  it  is  not  essential  that  white  weavers  of  baskets  should 
closely  confine  themselves  to  material  they  personally  gather,  some 
of  the  chief  benefits  that  should  accrue  from  basket-making  are  lost 
if  they  do  not  largely  do  so.  The  powers  of  observation  are  stimu- 
lated, knowledge  of  local  materials  gained,  and,  where  the  art  is  used 


HOW   TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER   BASKETS.  15 

to  help  the  poor  commercially,  hitherto  useless  material  is  converted 
into  a  financial  benefit,  which  is  a  new  and  direct  gain  to  the  commu- 
nity. 

There  are  few  really  useless  things  under  the  sun,  and  the  ihi'story  of 
all  commercial  growth  is  largely  the  detailing  of  how  the  useless  was 
converted  into  the  useful  by  invention,  imagination  and  skill.  This 
principle  should  be  applied  to  this  art. 

In  some  instances  there  can  be  but  little  question  that  the  location 
of  materials  for  the  pursuit  of  the  art  of  basket  weaving  has  deter- 


FIG.    8.      SWALE    GRASS   TRAY,    DESIGNED    AND 
MADE  BY  GERTRUDE  ASHLEY,  DEERFIELD,   MASS. 


mined  the  settlement  of  a  tribe  of  people.  The  Chemehuevis,  for  in- 
stance, have  a  tradition  which  clearly  points  in  a  measure  in  that  direc- 
tion. We  know  that  among  civilized  races  habitat  is  largely  determined 
by  commercialism.  The  miner  locates  in  the  desert,  canyon  or  moun- 
tain camp  because  there  he  finds  the  precious  metal.  The  cattleman 
lives  near  the  range  where  his  cattle  roam ;  the  foundryman  near  the 
foundry  which  employs  him;  the  clerk  near  the  store  in  which  he  is 
engaged. 


i6 


HOW   TO   MAKE  INDIAN  AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 


So  the  Indian  woman's  voice  was  naturally  raised  in  favor  of  a 
location  where  her  basket-making  material  was  easiest  obtained. 

This  hint  can  be  made  interesting  by  teachers  of  the  art,  in  stimu- 
lating the  imagination  of  the  child.  It  can  also  be  used  to  excellent 


FIG.   9.     THE  RED   BIRD   BASKET,    DESIGNED   AND 

MADE  BY  MADELINE  Y.  WYNNE, 

DEERFIELD,   MASS. 

advantage  in  field  trips.     It  gives  a  zest  and  purpose  to  a  ramble  to 
feel  there  is  an  object  in  view. 

"On  this  trip  let  us  imagine  ourselves  Indian  women  and  Indian 
children  going  out  to  hunt  grasses  or  other  material  for  basket- 
making.  We  will  do  this  for  severa;!  weeks,  and  then  as  the  result  of 
our  explorations  we  will  decide  where  we,  as  Indians,  -should  pitch  our 
permanent  camp." 


HOW   TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER   BASKETS.  IJ 

Put  such  a  thought  as  this  into  the  mind  of  child  or  adult  and  it 
gives  added  pleasure  to  outdoor  rambling. 

Then  the  incalculable  benefit  in  the  necessary  stimulation  of  the 
powers  of  observation  that  will  come  from  such  trips  should  not  be 
overlooked.  This,  the  highest  faculty  in  true  education,  should  ever 
be  kept  in  exercise.  He  is  a  benefactor  in  the  highest,  fullest  sense 
who  trains  another  to  habits  of  observation. 

Experimentation  follows  observation  in  this  field.  For,  when  one 
thinks  that  he  has  found  a  material  that  is  suitable  either  for  weaver, 
filling  or  dye,  it  must  be  tested. 


FIGS.    10  AND  11.     CHBTEMACHE    MATS. 
Courtesy  Hyde  Exploring  Expedition,  New  York. 


Selection  of  the  best  next  follows,  and  thus  both  senses  and  brain 
are  healthfully  exercised  and  stimulated. 

And  this  is  not  merely  good  for  a  child.  Many  a  nervous,  dyspep- 
tic, broken-down  adult  would  find  new  life  and  health  in  doing  what 
I  have  here  suggested.  Out  of  doors !  Out  of  doors !  Into  God's 
pure  air,  sunlight  and  odors.  There  is  His  chemical  labratory  where 
health,  vigor,  power  are  hourly  being  manufactured.  Get  out  into  the 
fullness  of  it.  Breathe  in  it ;  drink  it  in ;  absorb  it  in.  Fill  up  lungs, 
blood,  nerves  and  brain  with  pure  life  and  health,  throw  physics  to 
the  dogs,  send  melancholia  and  depression  to  the  devil,  defy  the  demon 
of  dyspepsia  and  come  back  into  the  world  of  men  and  women  con- 
scious of  strength  and  power  to  do  what  you  will. 


HOW  TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER   DASKNTS  19 

CHAPTER  IV. 
THE  PREPARATION  OF  MATERIALS. 


Personal  experimentation  should  be  the  keynote  in  the  mind  of 
every  adult  who  seeks  to  gain  the  greatest  good  from  basket-making. 
"I  will  know  for  myself!  I  will  experiment  and  test  and  find  out 
everything  that  can  be  found  out  as  to  the  resources  of  my  neighbor- 
hood that  can  be  utilized  in  this  work."  With  all  our  scientific  know- 
ledge we  cannot  improve  upon  the  methods  and  results  of  the  Indians, 
except,  perhaps,  in  the  matter  of  speed.  Their  dyes  are  unfading; 
their  colors  perfectly  beautiful,  appropriate  and  harmonious;  their 
material  as  perfect  as>  it  can  be  made.  In  "Indian  Basketry/'  pages 
72  to  85, 1  gathered  together  much  information  as  to  materials  used  by 
the  Indians,  and  methods  of  preparation.  In  that  chapter  the  student 
will  find  many  suggestions  that  may  aid  her  in  utilizing  the  material 
of  her  own  section.  One  thing,  however,  she  <may  be  sure  of,  viz.,  that 
wherever  an  Indian  has  been  over  the  ground,  in  the  work  of  that  In- 
dian will  be  found  the  very  best  basket-making  material  of  that  region. 
The  Indian's  judgment  may  be  relied  upon,  even  though  her  meth- 
ods may  be  bettered.  For  her  selection  is  the  result,  possibly,  of  cen- 
turies of  practical  experience  and  therefore,  at  the  outset  it  will  be  well 
to  see,  if  you  have  any  Indian  workers  in  your  locality,  what  they 
have  been  in  the  habit  of  using  in  their  basketry  work.  If  it  be  true, 
as  most  of  us  firmly  believe,  that  he  is  a  benefactor  who  makes  two 
blades  of  grass  grow  where  but  one  grew  before,  it  is  equally  true  that 
he  is  a  benefactor  who  finds  a  use  for  that  which  has  'hitherto  been 
deemed  useless.  To  teach  others  how  a  useless  weed  may  be  con- 
verted into  a  commercial  commodity  is  to  create  wealth,  and  among 
the  poor  and  needy,  wealth  means  added  comfort  and  'happiness.  By 
following  the  suggestions  given  in  this  chapter  every  teacher  may  en- 
large the  sphere  and  scope  of  her  benefaction's.  The  following  list 
makes  no  pretention  to  completeness.  It  is  merely  suggestive,  and  to 
stimulate  the  weaver  to  find  out  what  she  can  use  from  her  own 
locality.  When  any  new  material,  not  named  here,  is  found  I  shall 
be  obliged  if  a  sample  be  sent  to  me,  to  Pasadena,  California,  with  its 
local  and  Indian  name,  its  habitat,  habit  or  growth,  quantity,  how  pre- 
pared and  any  further  particulars  that  may  be  of  interest. 

It  must  not  be  supposed  that  familiarity  with  and  skill  in  the  use 
of  one  material  can  be  transferred  at  will  to  some  other  material!. 
Each  material  demands  personal  study  and  us-e.  One  who  has 
learned  how  to  use  willows  cannot  immediately  work  in  reed  or  rat- 
tan, and  yucca  strands  need  very  different  handling  from  squaw  grass 
or  pine  needles.  In  this  diversity  the  true  student  will  find  pleasure. 
The  overcoming  of  difficulties  exercises  the  faculty  of  invention. 

Care  should  be  taken,  and  a  caution  given  to  children,  to  avoid  the 
grasses  with  saw-toothed  or  other  sharp  edges.  One  may  be  cut  sev- 


20  HOW  TO   MAKE  INDIAN  AND   OTHER  BASKETS. 


FIG.   13.     SPLINT  AND   SWEET   GRASS    BASKETS. 
Courtesy  Hyde  Exploring  Expedition,  New  York. 


HOW   TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER   BASKETS.  21 

erely  if  careless  in  handling  such  grasses,  and  there  are  plenty  of 
other  materials  without  using  these  that  may  do  injury. 

COCKLE-BUR.  The  much-despised  and  hated  cockle-bur  may 
be  used  as  a  stimulant  of  the  child's  imagination  in  the  beginning  of 
his  work.  These  burs  can  be  found  anywhere,  and  when  the  children 
have  gathered  them  they  can  be  shown  in  one  lesson  how  that,  by 
sticking  them  together,  a  form  can  be  created.  Then  it  is  well  to 
leave  them  to  their  own  imagination,  allowing  them  to  create  any 
S'hape  they  may  desire. 

RAFFIA  is  ideal  weaving  material  for  the  untrained  fingers  of  be- 
ginners or  the  weak  fingers  of  children.  It  is  soft  and  flexible  and 
easily  handled.  As  strength  and  digital  dexterity  increase  stronger 
materials  can  be  used,  especially  as  they  afford  so  much  greater  oppor- 
tunity for  the  exercise  of  skill  and  artistic  effort. 

Raffia  is  the  native  name  given  to  a  Madagascar  palm  of  the  tribe 
Lepidocaryeae,  BH  type  of  the  sub-tribe  Raphieae.  It  has  a  long  leaf, 
over  50  feet  in  length,  and  thus  the  tree  is  often  from  60  to  70  feet 
high  to  the  tips  of  the  leaves.  The  material  purchased  from  the  seed 
stores  is  the  epidermis  of  the  leaf  stripped  on  both  sides.  The  leaf 
itself  is  very  brittle,  and  would  be  useless  for  this  work,  but  the  fibre 
stripped  from  its  outside  is  tough  and  pliable.  It  is  tied  in  long  hanks, 
and  was  originally  shipped  to  France  and  England  to  be  used  mainly 
as  florists'  twine,  for  tying  up  fruit  trees  and  other  gardening  pur- 
poses. With  their  native  economy  the  French,  and  then  the  Germans, 
began  to  use  it  in  connection  with  cane  and  reed  in  the  manufacture 
of  small  baskets,  and  when  the  revival  of  the  art  of  basketry  reached 
England,  the  workers  there  at  once  perceived  its  adaptability  and 
seized  upon  it  as  an  excellent  and  ideal  weaving  material  for  beginners. 
Its  long  strands  are  from  one  and  a  half  to  two  feet  in  length,  and  it  is 
thus  much  preferable  to  the  shorter  splints  of  the  Indian.  For,  to  the 
teacher  who  has  a  large  number  of  children  to  direct,  it  is  a  compajra- 
tively  easy  task  to  see  that  each  pupil  has  her  needlefull  of  raffia, 
whereas  in  the  use  of  the  shorter  splints  of  the  Indian  much  time  would 
be  occupied  and  patience  exhausted  in  rethreading  or  reinserting  these 
short  and  soon  used  up  lengths. 

RATTAN  is  one  of  the  mo^t  popular  of  basket-making  materials 
because  it  is  long,  light,  tough,  flexible  and  fissile.  The  recent  awak- 
ening to  the  importance  of  basketry  has  brought  rattan  into  marked 
prominence.  It  is  a  palm  of  the  genus  Calamus,  mainly  found  in  the 
East  Indies.  Sometimes  it  attains  the  astounding  length  of  500  feet, 
climbing  the  tallest  trees,  falling  in  festoons,  and  again  ascending,  and 
seldom  exceeding  an  inch  in  thickness.  The  rattan  of  China  and 
Japan  is  of  the  genus  Raphis,  and  is  known  as  ground-rattan.  It 
grows  erect  in  dense  tufts. 

Prepared  for  commerce  rattan  is  stripped  of  its  leaves  and  bark, 
and  is  put  up  into  bundles  of  round  cane  or  flat  strips,  numbered  from 
i  to  15.  No.  i,  being  the  finest,  is  the  most  expensive.  Nos.  2,  3,  and 
4  are  common  sizes,  Nos.  5  and  6  being  used  for  the  coarser  work. 

The  BAMBOO  holds  an  important  place  in  the  list  of  baisket- 
making  materials.  It  grows  in  all  warm  countries,  though  the  Bam- 
busa,  the  chief  type,  is  found  only  in  Southern  and  Eastern  Asia.  It 
is  an  arborescent  grass,  growing  to  the  height  of  20,  50  and  even  120 


22 


HOW   TO   MAKE  INDIAN  AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 


HOW   TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER   BASKETS.  2$ 

feet,  with  a  diameter,  in  the  larger  species,  of  from  4  to  8  inches.  Both 
leaves  and  stems  are  used  in  basketry  work,  though  rattain  is  more 
common  in  America  for  general  purposes. 

The  PALM  family  affords  much  material  for  basketry,  as  has 
already  been  shown,  one  species  alone,  the  Bamboo-palm,  Raffia  vini- 
fera,  giving  the  raffia  now  so  largely  used. 

The  lealves  of  the  palmetto  (Sabal  palmetto),  a  tree  growing  from 
20  to  35  feet  high,  and  of  the  dwarf  palmetto  (S.  adansoni),  are  peeled 
and  make  excellent  material  for  wrapping  splints,  and  also  for  splints 
for  the  mat  weave  work  herein  described. 

Good  splints  are  made  from  the  BUCK-EYE  (Aesculus),  several 
kinds  of  which  are  well  adapted  to  this  purpose,  the  wood  being  white, 
soft,  spongy  and  easily  worked. 

The  wood  splints  of  commerce  are  purchased  in  long,  wide  strips. 
To  prepare  these  for  basket  work  two  cutting  implements  are  used, 
elsewhere  pictured.  The  broad  strip  is  placed  inside  the  grooves  of  the 
"slicer,"  which  has  three  or  imore  tiny  but  sharp  knives  protruding 
from  its  base.  As-  the  splint  is  drawn  through  the  cutter,  it  is  cut  into 
the  desired  width,  the  knives  being  set  by  gauge  and  screw. 

Where  ino  cutter  is  to  be  had  the  strips  may  be  made  with  scissors, 
but  this  is  a  slow  and  laborious  ta&k. 

The  BULLRUSH  (Scirpus)  of  different  species  may  be  largely 
used  in  basketry.  The  special  kind  (S.  lacustris),  whose  tall,  smooth, 
blui'sh-green,  round  stems  are  seen  projecting  above  the  water  in 
lakes,  ponds,  pools  and  rivers,  dries  well  and  is  excellent  for  many 
purposes.  In  California  the  Scirpus  Tatora  is  called  tule,  and  the  root 
of  this  has  a  cuticle  of  a  rich,  brown  color,  which  is  used  by  the  Cahuil- 
la  Indians  as  wrapping  splint  for  their  coiled  ware. 

A  grass  that  can  be  used  is  SENECA-GRASS,  sometimes  also 
known  as  holy-grass  and  vanilla-grass. 

The  ingenious  teacher  will  find  many  ways  of  using  CORN 
HUSKS,  even  as  the  Indians  do,  though,  of  course,  nothing  durable 
can  be  expected  from  such  perishable  material. 

SWEET  GRASS  is  largely  used  in  some  parts  of  the  United 
States  and  Canada  for  the  making  of  simple  and  pretty  baskets.  It  is 
properly  Zostera,  a  type  of  a  tribe  of  aquatic  plants  which  grow  im- 
mersed in  shallow  bogs  and  other  waters.  A  chapter  is  devoted  to 
sweet  grass  weaving. 

In  the  South  there  grows  in  vast  quantities  the  LONG  MOSS, 
(Tillandsia  usneoides)  whose  dense  pendulous  tufts  drape  the  trees. 
This  moss  is  largely  used  for  the  -stuffing  of  mattresses,  and  can  be 
used  for  filling  for  the  inner  coil  of  baskets. 

BROOM  CORN  (Sorghum  Vulgare)  also  makes  excellent  filling 
for  the  inner  coil,  and  is  much  cleaner  and  better  than  the  moss. 

LONG  PINE  NEEDLES.  From  Virginia  to  Texas  there  grows 
along  the  coast  a  pine  which  has  spiculae  or  needles  from  ten  to  twelve 
inches  in  length.  These  needles  dry  easily  and  are  well  adapted 
either  for  material  for  the  inner  coil  of  coiled  baskets,  or  as  unwrapped 
coils  sewed  together  as  illustrated  elsewhere,  and  even  for  weavers. 

Pine  needles,  longer  or  shorter,  are  found  throughout  the  whole 
country  and  children  should  be  encouraged  to  do  the  best  they  can 
with  such  as  they  can  find.  The  Southern  variety  referred  to  above 


HOW   TO   MAKE  INDIAN   AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 


JflCJ.  15.     SPLINT  BASKETS. 
Courtesy  Hyde  Exploring  Expedition,  New  York. 


FIG.  16.  REED  BASKETS  MADE  AT  DEERFIELD, 

MASS. 


HOW   TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER   BASKETS.  25 

is  the  long-leafed  pine  (pinus  palustris),  and  is  generally  known  as  the 
Georgia  pine. 

Arrangements  have  been  made  for  the  gathering  of  abundant  quan- 
tities of  these  long  pine  needles  and  a  sample  bunch  will  be  sent  by 
mail  free  on  receipt  of  twenty-five  cents. 

The  MARTYNIA  is  a  plant  capable  of  cultivation  in  any  part  of 
the  country.  A  small  package  of  seeds  can  be  purchased  for  twenty- 
five  cents,  whidh  will  grow  enough  for  a  small  class.  An  effort  is 
being  made  by  The  Basket  Fraternity  to  secure  these  seeds  for  sale. 
It  must  be  gathered  when  the  pod  is  at  its  blackest.  Gathered  too 
soon  it  is  greenish ;  too  late,  the  black  is  rusty  and  poor.  When 


FIG.  17.     WEAVER 
SPLINT  CUTTER. 


FIG.  18.     FOUNDATION  SPLINT  CUTTER. 


picked  at  the  right  time  the  black  is  perfect,  and  all  the  designs  of  the 
Pima,  Apache  and  Havasupai  baskets  are  worked  out  with  it. 

In  Australia  and  New  Zealand  grows  the  pimelea,  a  slender  branch- 
ing shrub  with  tough,  stringy  bark.  This  bark  is  prepared  and  the 
fibre  used  for  textile  purposes. 

All  lovers  of  the  fine  basketry  of  Northern  California  know  the 
rich  black  wrapping  splint  of  the  twined  basketry.  This  is  the  stem 
of  the  Adiantuim  pedatum,  the  MAIDEN  HAIR  FERN. 

i  There  are  some  pliant  species  of  SMILAX    (S.    Pseudo — China), 
known  as  bull-brier,  which  are  used  in  basket-making. 

The  fibre  of  the  cocoanut,  called  COIR,  could  be  so  prepared  as 
to  make  a  fairly  good  wrapping  splint  for  coiled  work. 

The  SILK  GRASS  of  British  Honduras,  which  is  the  same  as 
the  pita  of  Central  America,  is  a  valuable  fiber  produced  principally 
from  the  Bromelia  Sylvestris,  a  kind  of  wild  pineapple,  though  the 
name  pita  is  given  indiscriminately  to  the  fibre  obtained  from  the 


26 


HOW   TO   MAKE   INDIAN   AND   OTHER  BASKETS. 


FIG.    25.     RAFFIA   BOUND    PICTURE    FRAMES. 
Work  of  Students,  Teachers'  College,  New  York. 


HOW   TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER   BASKETS.  2/ 

various  species  of  Agave.  This  is  also  known  as  henequen,  or  sisal 
hemp,  and  is  largely  used  for  making  ship's  cables,  as  it  resists  damp- 
ness better  than  the  simple  hemp. 

There  are  two  or  three  species  of  WILLOW  that  are  largely  cul- 
tivated for  basket-making.  In  Europe  the  Almond-leafed  willow 
(Salix  Amygdalkia)  and  especially  the  Golden  Willow  or  osier  (S. 
Vitellina)  are  used  for  this  purpose.  Most  of  the  coarse  basketry 
of  England  is  made  from  this  latter  species,  and  the  finer  work  is  made 
by  splitting  the  willow  into  splints  and  using  them  for  wrapping,  as 
do  the  California  and  other  Indians. 

Somehow  the  words  "Sisal.  Willow"  have  come  into  use  in 
basketry.  I  am  free  to  confess  I  do  not  know  what  the  Sisal  Willow 


FIG.  160.  DEERFIELD  STRAW  BASKETS. 

is  and  shall  be  glad  to  be  enlightened.  The  Century  Dictionary  gives 
Sisal  grass  and  Sisal  hemp,  which  is  the  fibre  of  the  agave  ixtli  or 
henequen,  but  I  can  find  no  reference  to  Sisal  Willow. 

Mat  splints,  especially  when  made  of  palmetto  or  similar  material, 
are  made  more  pliable  by  slight  soaking  and  then  running  between  the 
thumb  and  dull  edge  of  shears. 

Other  materials  will  be  found  referred  to  in  later  pages  showing 
the  infinite  variety  the  ingenious  teacher  may  utilize. 

In  their  preparation  most  of  the  common  grasses  will  dry  if  put  in 
a  warm  but  shady  place,  and  kept  turned  over  every  day.  A  little  ex- 
perience will  soon  demonstrate  the  best  method  of  "curing." 


28  HOW   TO   MAKE  INDIAN  AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 

CHAPTER  V. 
DYES :     HOW  TO  MAKE  AND  USE  THEM. 


At  the  outset  let  it  be  understood  fully  that  this  is  not  presented  as 
anything  more  than  a  chapter  of  suggestion  and  hints.  Explicit  di- 
rections in  so  subtle  and  elusive  a  matter  as  dyeing  is  not  to  be  expect- 
ed in  a  book  of  this  character. 

In  the  first  place,  second,  third  and  every  other  place,  fix  firmly 
and  forever  in  your  minds  that  aniline  dyes  are  "  anathema  "  to  ajll 
true  basketry  lovers.  They  are  the  "  accursed  things  "  which  bring 
sorrow  into  the  camp  of  the  faithful.  Do  -not  touch  them.  Discourage 
their  use  in  others. 

Vegetable  dyes  are  softer  in  tone,  more  harmonious,  more  perma- 
nent, and  better  in  a>ccord  with  basketry  work.  The  loud  trumpet 
notes  of  aniline  color  do  not  -suit  such  soft  and  flexible"  work  as  bas- 
ketry. Never  until  the  white  man  of  no  artistic  taste  perverted  and 
led  astray  the  Indian  with  aniline  dyes  did  he  make  mistakes  in  color. 
Hence  to  get  Che  true  conception  of  color  one  has  but  to  study  the 
O'ld  baskets..  And  who  that  has  done  this  has  not  felt  the  charm  and 
delight  of  sweet,  tender,  exquisite  melodies ;  of  soft,  delicate,  restful 
harmonies  in  these  masterpieces — nay  mistresspieces — of  ancient 
work  ? 

In  this  chapter  I  desire  to  stimulate  each  thoughtful  and  earnest 
student  to  the  endeavor  to  reach  what  these  wild  weavers  reached.  We 
know  'somewhat  of  their  methods,  and  they  cannot  be  improved  upon. 
In  "Indian  Basketry"  I  have  said  something  about  them,  and  the  chap- 
ter on  colors  is  well  worth  another  reading  in  connection  with  these 
hints.  Also,  if  you  have  in  some  long  forgotten  closet  a  copy  of  your 
great-grandmother's  old  recipe  book,  get  it  out,  and,  ten  to<  one 
you  will  find  wonderfully  suggestive  helps  there,  reminding  you  of  the 
days  when  your  ancestors  spent  many  hours  over  the  dye  pot  or  tub. 
To  learn  to  dye  well  is  a  liberal  education  in  many  things.  So  begin 
with  determination  and  courage.  Remember  that  experience  will 
widen  your  horizon  and  enlarge  your  capacities.  Thus  a  valuable 
and  interesting  discovery  may  be  made.  Miss  White  tells  of  "one  bas- 
ket-maker who  found  in  the  purple  iris  a  dye  almost  as  deep  as  its 
own  blossoms.  The  faded  flowers  are  full  of  the  purple  'liquid,  and, 
when  they  are  rubbed  on  rattan,  color  it  a  beautiful  shade  which  is 
quite  as  fast  as  most  dyes." 

Hence,  experiment  in  every  way.  If  you  are  preparing  a  red,  and 
happen  to  have  some  other  dye  at  hand,  mix  in  a  little  of  it,  and  test 
the  result.  Just  as  an  artist  experiments  in  color  on  his  palette  board 
and  thus  finds  what  he  wants,  so  may  you. 

As  a  rule  all  materials  and  dyes  need  a  mordant.  This  is  to  "fix" 
the  dye.  In  "Indian  Basketry"  I  tell  of  some  Indian  mordants.  Alum 
is  a  good  ordinary  mordant  and  can  be  had,  cheaply,  anywhere.  As  a 
general  principle,  however,  chemistry  teaches  that  where  you  have 
an  acid  dye  it  is  well  to  have  an  alkali  mordant,  and  when  an  alkali 
dye  an  acid  mordant.  Experiment  will  soon  teach  the  value  of  this. 


HOW    TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER   BASKETS.  2Q 

Miss  White  suggests  the  use  of  a  solution  of  three  ounces  of  alum 
dissolved  in  a  quart  of  water.  Miss  Hyde  prefers  much  less,  prefer- 
ably about  four  ounces  to  two  gallons  of  water. 

When  the  alum  is  well  dissolved  p'lace  the  liquid  in  a  small  tub 
and  soak  the  material  to  be  dyed  in  it  for  fully  two  hours.  This  allows 
the  fibre  of  the  raffia  or  rattan  to  take  up  the  mordant,  and  thus  pre- 
pares for  the  permanent  fixing  of  the  dye — a  thing  much  to  be  desired. 

In  the  making  of  dye  here  are  a  few  hints  as  to  material.  YEL- 
LOW.— Gather  St.  John's  wort  (hypiricum  perforatum),  the  stems, 
leaves  and  flowers,  which  can  be  found  growing  everywhere  on  the 
roadside.  This  gives  a  light  yellow  that  is  very  pleasing. 

Saffron  can  be  bought  from  the  druggists,  and  is  easy  to  handle. 
This  gives  a  bright  yellow. 

Onion  skins  give  a  dull  yellow  that  is>  very  satisfactory. 

GREEN. — Indigo,  to  be  purchased  of  any  druggist,  gives  the  color 
for  blue,  but  it  must  be  confessed  it  is  difficult  to  handle  without  ex- 
perience. Miss  Hyde  found  Chase's  Recipe  Book  give  her  help. 
Learners  will  find  that  indigo  will  not  dissolve  in  water.  Sulphuric 
acid  will  dissolve  it,  but  the  acid  will  rot  the  material  to  be  dyed.  So 
before  the  materials  are  immersed,  the  acid  must  be  neutralized  by 
the  addition  of  soda.  The  sulphuric  acid  is  poured  on  the  indigo, 
drop  by  drop,  and  stirred  vigorously,  causing  the  liquid  to  foam  in  an 
alarming  manner.  There  is  nothing  to  fear,  however.  As  soon  as  the 
indigo  is  dissolved  fully,  add  water  and  put  in  soda  until  it  stops 
foaming.  Be  sure  to  keep  your  'hands  out  of  this  mixture.  Use  a 
stick  to  stir  it  with.  It  is  well  to  make  plenty  of  this  mixture,  which 
keep  stirring  often.  This  allows  the  soda  to  completely  neutralize  the 
sulphuric  acid,  and  the  dye  can  be  used  with  safety,  diluting  with  water 
when  used. 

RED. — Cochineal,  though  animal,  is  suggested  for  a  dark,  deep 
red.  Combined  with  cream  of  tartar  it  gives  a  bright  red. 

Madder  gives  a  dull  red.  This  can  be  bought  from  the  druggists 
in  powder  form ;  in  the  South  it  can  be  found  growing  in  the  fields, 
and  the  root  is  the  part  to  use. 

Cranberries  give  a  dull  red,  and  beets  a  color  similar  but  more 
satisfactory.  The  poke  berry  gives  a  purple  red.  You  will  not  care 
to  handle  the  poke  berries  as  they  stain  the  hands. 

ORANGE. — Dragon's  blood  gives  a  pleasing  orange.  The  powder 
can  be  bought  from  any  druggist.  Do  not  buy  it  in  stick  form,  as  water 
will  not  readily  dissolve  the  stick,  and  alcohol  must  be  used  for  the 
purpose.  The  powder  is  easier  to  handle. 

The  powder  of  Blood  Root  gives  a  deep  yellow. 

BROWN  and  PURPLE.— Logwood  extract  gives  a  fine  brown, 
and  combined  with  ammonia  a  good  purple. 

Butternut  bark,  though  not  as  strong  as  logwood  gives  satisfactory 
results  if  an  extra  quantity  is  used.  Walnut  and  hickory  nut  shells 
can  also  be  used  with  good  results.  The  bark  of  the  maple  and 
pine  both  give  nice  shades  of  brown,  and  one  will  find  great  pleasure 
in  experimenting  with  bark  from  different  trees. 

TAN. — Sumac  leaves-  and  stems  give  a  good  tan,  while  the  fruit 
gives  a  reddish  or  what  might  better  be  termed  a  light  or  pink  tan. 
But  this  dye  is  never  strong  even  though  a  large  quantity  of  the  leaves 
are  used. 


30  HOW  TO   MAKE  INDIAN   AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 

TIME  TO  COLLECT  MATERIALS.— Experience  has  demon- 
strated that  the  best  time  to  collect  these  materials  is  in  October  or 
November,  when  the  seeds  and  fruit  are  ripe  and  the  sap  is  well 
down  in  the  trunks  of  the  trees.  Even  in  this  work  one  is  liable  to 
stumble  upon  many  interesting  facts.  For  instance,  one  teacher  had 
her  scholars  gather  walnut  shucks  for  dyeing  purposes,  and  they  secured 
a  delicious  shade  of  green.  Three  or  four  weeks  later  they  again  wished 
some  green  dye,  and  went  and  gathered  more  walnut  shucks.  This 
time  their  green  dye  came  out  "brown,"  and  the  disappointed  children 
were  unable  at  first  to  comprehend  the  reason  for  the  change.  It  does 
not  need  much  suggesting  to  show  how  that  to  an  intelligent  teacher 
this  practically  prepared  the  hearts  and  minds  of  her  pupils  for  a  val- 
uable lesson  in  natural  history.  The  green  coloring  matter  had  gone ; 
new  matter  or  changed  matter  was  in  its  place.  Thus  observation 
and  interest  are  stimulated — the  first  elements  of  all  true  education. 

TO  MAKE  THE  DYES. — For  a  dye  pot  a  good  enamel  kettle 
is  as  serviceable  as  anything.  All  the  materials  are  to  be  boiled. 
A  general  proportion  to  be  observed  is  two  ounces  to  one  gallon  of 
water.  This  gives  a  fairly  strong  dye.  It  can  be  diluted,  if  necessary, 
and  if  found  not  strong  enough  can  either  be  boiled  down  or  more 
material  used. 

In  using  beets,  put  in  about  five  or  six  large  beets  to  a  gallon  of 
water.  If  these  do  not  produce  the  desired  color,  put  in  more. 

Cranberries,  use  about  one  pound  to  a  gallon  of  water. 

Butternut  bark,  wallnut  shucks,  sumac,  poke  berries,  onion  skins, 
etc.,  all  that  can  be  held  in  both  hands ;  a  little  more  will  do  no  harm. 

All  of  the  above  will  generally  give  their  color  with  a  half  hour's 
good  boiling.  On  the  other  hand,  cochineal  needs  fully  two  hours  to 
produce  good  results.. 

TO  DYE  THE  MATERIAL.— First  mordant  as  before  described. 
Be  sure  and  strain  the  dye,  as  if  there  is  any  sediment  it  is  liable  to 
arrest  the  work  of  the  dye  and  give  irregular  color  effects. 

In  every  case  the  dye  must  be  boiling  when  the  material  is  immersed. 
Let  it  remain  in  the  liquid  from  15  to  20  minutes.  If  this  is  not 
enough  (as  experience  will  soon  demonstrate),  let  it  remain  longer. 
Keep  turning  the  material  over  and  over,  always  using  a  wooden 
stick  for  the  purpose,  so  that  the  color  evenly  reaches  all  the  part's. 

The  following  is  from  the  pen  of  Miss  Margaret  C.  Whiting,  of 
the  Pocumtuck  Basket  Society  of  Deerfield,  Mass.,  a  society  whose 
work  in  fine  basketry  other  pages  of  this  book  will  well  testify  to. 
In  an  early  bulletin  of  the  Basket  Fraternity  I  hope  to  publish  a 
full  and  detailed  account  of  Deerfield  and  its  work. 

"Basket  workers,  who  work  in  raffia,  have  only  lately  begun  to 
realize  the  necessity  of  natural  dyes  in  order  to  produce  good  and 
lasting  color  combinations  in  their  designs,  and  it  is  a  fundamental 
need,  and  no  craftsman  will  continue  long  to  rest  satisfied  with  seeing 
his  design  developed  in  the  loud  and  vulgar  colors  that  raffia  dyed 
in  chemical  or  aniline  dyes  produce.  In  itself  raffia  is  a  material  that 
is  capable  of  taking  on  soft  and  harmonious  colors,  or  of  becoming  an 
offence  to  the  eye.  It  is  fortunate  that  many  individual  basket 
makers,  or  groups  of  workers,  are  following  the  exampe  of  Deerfield, 
in  either  doing  their  own  dyeing  in  indigo,  fustic,  madder  and  copperas, 
or  employing  someone  who  has  skill  and  time  to  do  it  for  them.  By 


HOW   TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER   BASKETS.  3! 

these  means  the  dld-fashioned  processes  of  hand-dyeing  are  being 
revived,  and  far-reaching  effects  may  quite  reasonably  be  hoped  for 
from  the  individual  dyers  who  are  thus  being  encouraged.  Such  an 
one  is  Mrs.  Miller,  of  Brooklyn,  whose  "Colonial  Dyes"  of  over  a 
dozen  shades  and  tones  of  reds,  browns,  yellows,  greens  and  blues 
done  in  small  vats  prepared  by  old  rules  of  tried  permanence,  are 
so  pleasing  to  the  eye,  tried  by  the  garish  modern  colors  that  it  is 
impossible  to  believe  the  future  will  consent  to  accept.  Quite  recently 
a  modest  sale,  for  a  charity,  of  baskets  made  by  a  group  of  amateur 
but  skillfull  basket-makers  in  a  surburban  town  belonging  to  Greater 
New  York,  from  Mrs.  Miller's  colors  proved  the  charm  possible  to 


FIG.  135.     SIMPLE  WEB  BASKETS  OF  RATTAN. 
Work  of   Students,   Teachers'   College,   New  York. 

obtain  from  the  color  harmonies  of  vegetable  dyes.  The  basket  with 
a  holly  design,  that  which  was  decorated  with  a  stiff  row  of  tulips, 
another  that  bore  trees,  whose  maker  whimsically  proclaimed  to  grow 
in  "the  vale  of  cedars,"  and  still  another  developed  in  orange  and 
black  with  a  barbaric  design  in  white  beads,  aill  show  the  inspiration 
harmonious  colors  give  to  the  designer,  how  their  mere  possession 
gives  suggestion  of  patterns  and  combinations  to  the  eye  of  a  skillful 
basket-maker,  which  her  own  desire  to  produce  turns  to  admirable 
account.  The  much  lamented  decay  of  good  design  and  of  excellence 
in  ornamental  work  has  been  largely  helped  by  the  manufactured 
dyes ;  how  great  an  influence  toward  the  tasteless  and  tawdry  has  been 
wrought  by  the  invention  of  aniline  colors,  who  can  say?" 


HOW  TO   MAKE  INDIAN   AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


TOOLS  AND  TERMS  USED. 


The  student  should  be  provided  with  the  following  tools:  A 
needle  (about  a  No.  19  tapestry  needle  is  good  to  begin  with) ;  strong 
scissors;  an  awl  about  four  inches  long;  a  small  hammer;  a  yard 
measure  and  foot  rude ;  a  i&harp  knife ;  a  pair  of  small,  flat  pliers  or 
pincers ;  a  narrow  piece  of  heavy,  flat  iron  or  steel  that  can  be  used 
as  a  hammer  between  the  spokes  of  a  basket.  This  should  be  about 
five  or  six  inches  long  and  two  inches  broad,  indeed  an  old  rasp  file 
will  answer  the  purpose  very  well.  Rubber  thimble  and  finger  caps 
are  useful,  when  these  members  are  tender. 

Cutters  for  preparing  wood  splints  are  used  by  the  Eastern  In- 
dians. Miss  Marie  Toxuse,  employed  by  the  Hyde  Exploring  Expe- 


FIG.   19.     A   SPLINT. 


FIG  20.     SINGLE   WEAVING. 


FIG.  21.     DOUBLE  WEAVING. 


FIG.    22.      PAIRING. 


dition,  26  West  23rd  street,  New  York,  kindly  permitted  me  to  'have 
the  accompanying  engravings  made  from  her  two  cutters.  Fig.  18 
is  adjustable,  and  can  be  set  by  means  of  the  thumb  screw  and^the 
brass  fillers  to  cut  the  splints  from  an  eighth  of  an  inch  to  an  inch 
in  width. 

Fig.  17  consists  of  a  number  of  knives  set  at  the  proper  distance 
apart  for  the  making  of  splints  for  weavers. 

In  both  these  cutters  the  broad  'Splint  is  inserted,  pressed  upon 
the  knives,  and  then  rapidly  pulled.  With  a  pair  of  scissors  the 
resulting  splints  are  cut  to  the  required  length. 

A  splint,  or  weaver,  or  strand  is  the  name  given  to  the  strip  or 


HOW    TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER    BASKETS. 


33 


piece  of  material  used  for  wrapping.  The  fingers  in  Fig.  19  hold  a 
splint. 

The  warp  splints  are  the  ribs,  the  bones,  the  framework,  the  spokes, 
the  foundation  upon  which  the  basket  is  built  up. 

The  woof  splints  are  the  weavers  which  are  wrapped,  or  twined, 
or  worked  in  various  ways  in  and  out  of  the  warp  splints. 

SINGLE  WEAVING.— This  is  shown  in  Fig.  20.  The  weaver 
is  placed  behind  one  spoke  or  foundation  rod,  and  before  the  next, 
thus  alternating.  It  is  to  pack  tightly  together  this  kind  of  weaving 
that  the  flat  piece  of  iron  referred  to  in  the  list  of  tools  is  so  useful. 

DOUBLE  WEAVING.— This  is  where  two  weavers  are  used 
instead  of  one,  see  Fig.  21. 

PAIRING. — This  is  where  two  weavers  are  used,  but  one  is  placed 
before,  the  other  behind  the  same  spoke,  as  in  Fig.  22.  Then  as  the 


FIG.    23.      TRIPLE    WEAVE. 


FIG.   24.    ROPE   TWIST. 


weavers  are  taken  on  to  the  next  spoke  twist  them  so  that  the  lower 
weaver  takes  the  place  of  the  upper. 

TRIPLE  TWIST.— This  is  clearly  shown  in  Fig.  23.  Three 
weavers  are  placed  behind  three  consecutive  spokes,  then  each  weaver 
is  brought  in  succession  before  two  spokes  and  behind  one,  being  laid 
at  the  same  time  on  the  top  of  the  weavers  that  preceded  it.  This 
weave  is  used  where  a  break  or  dividing  line  in  a  basket  is  desired, 
either  for  beauty  or  strength.  It  is  also  used  as  a  border  finishing 
weave. 

ROPE  TWIST. — This  is  a  variation  of  the  triple  weave,  though 
four  or  more  weavers  may  be  used,  see  Fig.  24.  For  starting,  four 
weavers  are  placed  behind  four  consecutive  spokes,  and  if  one  or  more 
weavers  have  already  been  used,  they  must  be  included  in  the  four 
to  make  up  this  twist.  Each  in  its  transit  to  the  back  of  the  fourth 
spoke  must  be  laid  on  the  top  of  the  other  three  weaver?. 


34 


HOW  TO   MAKE   INDIAN   AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


HOW  TO  BEGIN. 


One  of  the  first  and  most  important  results  to  be  attained  is  the 
familiarizing  the  student  (be  he  child  or  adult)  with  the  materials  to 
be  used.  Hence  the  wisdom  of  following  out  all  the  suggestions 
here  given,  even  though  the  immediate  results  are  not  the  ones 
you  individually  are  seeking.  The  greater  the  variety  of  materials 
used,  the  more  readily  does  one  see  the  possibilities  and  limitations  of 
eacih. 

Miss   Hyde    suggests :      "One    may    combine   bristol    board   with 


FIG.    26.      RAFFIA   WRAPPED    ARTICLES. 
Work  of  Students,  Teachers'  College,  New  York. 

raffia  to  advantage  in  teaching  little  children — illustrating  the  use  of 
two  materials  of  different  degrees  of  flexibility."  In  all  the  following 
exercises  it  is  well  to  dampen  the  raffia  several  hours  before  using. 

PICTURE  FRAMES.— Cut  a  6-inch  square  from  bristol  board 
and  from  this  cut  a  circle,  the  radius  being  three  inches.    Cut  an  inner 


HOW   TO    MAKE    INDIAN   AND    OTHER   BASKETS.  35 

circle  with  radius  11-4  inches,  giving  a  diameter  of  2  1-2  inches.  This 
opening  allows  for  a  small  picture.  Then  wrap  the  board  with  raffia 
in  its  native  color,  or  dyed,  as  preferred.  A  simple  loop  may  be  made 
of  the  raffia  with  which  to  hang  up  the  frame. 

In  the  making  of  these  picture  frames  cultivate  a  sense  of  propor- 
tion. The  frame  must  not  be  too  large  for  the  picture  it  is  to  hold; 
nor  too  small. 

Then,  too,  let  the  child  feel  that  this  frame  is  to  enshrine  a  picture 
that  means  something  to  him.  It  is  not  simply  a  frame  for  any  kind 


FIG.    28.     MAGAZINE    HOLDER    OF    WRAPPED      RAFFIA. 


of  a  picture,  or  merely  "a  frame  anyhow,"  but  it  is  a  frame  especially 
made  for  a  picture  of  papa  or  mamma,  or  the  baby,  or  some  beloved 
friend  or  scene.  Thus  the  heart  of  the  child,  as  well  as  its  mind  and 
fingers  are  engaged  in  the  work.  This  is  the  prime  element  in  all 
work  we  designate  "artistic." 

Other  interesting  possibilities  in  this  u<s.e  of  materials  are  suggested 
in  Fig.  26.  Here  are  a  book  mark,  a  napkin-ring,  and  a  toy  umbrella,  all 
made  of  wrapped  raffia.  For  the  book-mark  any  kind  of  splint  may 


HOW  TO   MAKE   INDIAN   AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 


HOW   TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER   BASKETS.  37 

be  used.  Then  raffia  is  wrapped  from  one  spoke  to  another,  as  clearly 
shown  in  the  engraving.  The  napkin-ring  is  made  by  wrapping  the 
raffia  around  a  splint  or  card-board  base,  circled  into  ring  form,  and 
then  edged  with  plaited  raffia,  sewed  on.  For  the  umbrella  take  a 
piece  of  No.  4  rattan.  Glue  a  piece  of  cork  upon  one  end.  Into  this 
make  small  holes  and  glue  therein  seven  lengths  of  No.  I  or  No.  2  rat- 
tan. Then  begin  to  wrap  with  raffia,  giving  one  twist  around  each 
spoke  and  going  on  to  the  next  one.  This  mode  ol  wrapped  weaving 
was  long  ago  used  by  the  Mohave  Indians  in  the  making  of  their  car- 
rying baskets,  as  shown  in  Indian  Basketry,  page  160,  and  later  in 
the  chapter  on  Indian  Stitches. 


FIG.    30.      SIMPLE    COILED    BASKETS. 
Work  of  Students,  Teachers'  College,  New  York. 

A  SIMPLE  BASKET  FOR  CHILDREN.— The  coiling  of 
natural  colored  raffia  and  wrapping  with  a  strand  of  dyed  material  is 
an  easy  method  for  children.  Take  a  sufficient  number  of  strands  of 
raffia  to  make  1-4  inch  coil  and  wrap  with  a  strand  of  colored  raffia 
leaving  distances  of  1-2  inch  between  wraps.  Coil  and  sew  back  and 
forth  holding  the  coil  to  the  left,  and  the  stitches  should  not  be  noticed. 
To  finish  let  the  coil  gradually  diminish. 


HOW  TO   MAKE   INDIAN   AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


THE  MAT  WEAVE. 


While  mat  weaving  uses  the  warp  and  woof  in  exactly  the  same 
manner  as  they  arc  used  in  what  I  have  termed  the  web  weaving,  the 
material  is  so  different  in  character,  and  needs  such  different  handl- 
ing, that  it  is  deemed  wise  to  differentiate  and  give  two  separate  sets 
of  lessons  in  their  use.  The  earliest  stages  of  this  form  of  weaving 
all  kindergarten  teachers  are  more  or  less  familiar  with. 

MATERIALS  REQUIRED.— A  number  of  splints  of  equal 
width  of  paper,  wood  (such  as  ash,  oak,  etc.,)  palmetto,  etc.  A  buck- 
et or  bowl  of  water,  knife,  scissors,  awl  or  piercer. 

CHECKERBOARD.— Take  a  number  of  spilints  of  equal  length 
and  width.  Place  ten  or  a  dozen  side  by  side.  This  makes  the  warp. 


FIG.  31.     SIMPLE  MAT  WEAVE, 

OPEN.  FIG.   32.     SIMPLE  MAT  WEAVTE,   CLOSED. 

These  two  cuts  by  courtesy  of  the  U.  S.  National  Museum. 

Then  take  same  number  and  weave  them,  one  at  a  time,  over  and 
under  the  warp  at  right  angles.  This  simple  checkerwork  is  the  basis 
for  good  work  later  on. 

Figs.  31  and  32  clearly  show  the  simplest  forms  of  this  kind  of 
work.  After  a  little  practice  in  this  with  coarse  splints,  let  the  pupil 
undertake  the  making  of  a  table  mat  of  any  suitable  material  similar 
to  Fig.  33.  It  will  be  seen  that  the  splints  are  fine.  When  it  is  the 
size  desired,  sew  the  edges  tight  with  white  thread,  and  then  unravel 
or  split  the  splints  as  shown  in  the  illustration. 

It  is  well  to  gain  accuracy  and  speed  in  the  manipulation  of  mat 
splints,  and  good  exercise  will  be  had  by  imitating  Figs.  34,  35,  36 


HOW    TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER    BASKETS. 


39 


with  weavers    of   two   colors.     These   weaves    can  be  utilized  in  the 
making  of  many  beautiful  baskets  later  on. 

MAT  FOUNDATION  WORK.— Fold  all  the  splints  lengthwise. 
Take  the  two  long  ones,  place  them  side  by  side,  right  and  left,  with 
ends  reversed.  (See  Fig.  37.)  Take  a  short  splint,  open  it  and  fold 
around  long  splint  to  the  right,  thrusting  splints  through  the  long 
splint  to  the  left.  Pull  tight.  The  next  short  splint  fold  around  long 


FIG    33.     TABLE  MAT.     SIMPLE  MAT  WEAVE. 


splint  to  left  and  through  long  splint  to  right.  So  on  alternating,  with 
as  many  splints  as  desired.  Pull  tight. 

FOLDING  EXERCISE.— T'he  accordeon  fold.  Take  two 
weavers  of  equal  width,  holding  them  with  ends  at  right  angles,  or  fold 
one  long  splint  as  shown  in  A,  Fig.  38.  Fold  the  perpendicular  splint 
up  over  the  horizontal  one,  then  the  horizontal  over  the  perpendicular, 
retaining  them  at  right  angles.  Back  and  forth  the  folds  then  go 
(See  C)  in  the  following  order :  down,  from  left  to  right ;  up,  from  right 
to  left ;  and  so  on,  taking  care  that  each  fold  is  absolutely  even.  The 
result  is  the  accordeon  fold  (B,  Fig.  38.) 

In  Figs.  10,  ii,  39  and  40  are  seen  four  beautiful    specimens    o! 


HOW  TO   MAKE   INDIAN   AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 


FIG. 


ACCORDEON  PLAIT,  DIAGONAL  MAT 
WEAVE,    ETC. 


FIGS.   39   AND   40.     CHETEMACHE   MATS. 
Courtesy  Hyde  Exploring  Expedition,  New  York. 


HOW   TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER   BASKETS. 


Chetemache  weave.  This  tribe  of  Indians  lives  on  Avery  Island,  La., 
and  makes  beautiful  baskets  of  a  variety  of  shapes,  using  splints  of  pal- 
metto. 

Their  dyes  are  evidently  vegetable  and  the  exquisite  color  effects 
produced  are  worthy  of  imitation.     The  colors  are  a  dull  Indian  red 


FIG.  34. 

PATTERN  PRODUCED 
BY  INTERLACING 

STRANDS  OF 
DIFFERENT  COLORS. 


FIG.  35. 

PATTERN    PRODUCED 
BY  INTERLACING 
STRANDS  OF 
DIFFERENT   COLORS. 


FIG   36. 

ISOLATED    FIGURES 
PRODUCED  BY  MODI- 
FYING ORDER   OF 
INTERSECTION. 


These  three  cuts  by  the  courtesy  of  the  U.  S.  National  Museum. 

and  black,  with  the  natural  greenish-gray  of  the  palmetto.  In  these 
mats,  the  designs  are  worked  out  with  different  colors.  The  design  is 
easily  followed  and  the  learner  will  find  it  excellent  practice  to  en- 
deavor to  imitate,  and  later  on,  conjure  up  designs  from  her  own  im- 
agination. The  binding  is  simple.  A  flat  splint  is  laid  lengthwise 


FIG.  37.     MAT   FOUNDATION  WORK. 

on  the  upper  edge  of  the  mat,  and  then  sewed  on  witih  a  fine  weaver 
as  seen  in  the  illustration. 

DIAGONAL  MAT  WEAVE.— Take  four  long  splints,  Lay  two 
horizontally  and  two  vertically,  under  and  over  as  if  going  to  make 
ordinary  square  mat  weave,  holding  in  left  hand.  Take  top  splint, 
oblique  or  diagonal,  fold  backwards,  bringing  edge  parallel  with  the 
right  edge  of  the  perpendicular  splint.  Change  work  to  right  hand, 


HOW  TO   MAKE   INDIAN   AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 


FIG.   41.     SPLINT   PICTURE   FRAME 
FOUNDATION. 


FIG.  42. 

SPLINT  PICTURE 
FRAME. 


FIG.    43.      SPLINT   MAT  WEAVE   BASKETS. 


HOW   TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER   BASKETS.  43 

fold  left  splint  obliquely,  making  its  upper  edge  lie  parallel  with  the 
bottom  horizontal  splint.  This  crosses  right  perpendicular  splint.  Pass 
under  first  folded  splint.  There  are  now  two  perpendicular  sets  of 
splints,  and  two  horizontal,  one  set  to  the  right,  one  set  to  the  left. 
Work  held  ini  left  hand,  fold  upper  horizontal  downwards  as  before. 
Then  left  perpendicular  folded  horizontally  as  before.  Hold  now 
obliquely  and  press  edges  towards  center  to  keep  the  work  evenly, 
and  proceed,  folding  as  directed,  as  long  as  required.  (See  D,  Fig. 

38.) 

NAPKIN  RING. — A  napkin  ring  can  be  made  from  this  strip  of 
diagonal  weaving,  tucking  in  the  edges.  (G,  Fig.  38.) 

Another  form  of  napkin  ring  may  be  made  by  leaving  a  little  longer 
ends  to  the  diagonally  woven  strip,  bringing  them  together  and  then 
proceeding  to  unite  them  with  the  ordinary  flat  mat  weave,  tucking 
in  the  edges  as  per  the  illustration,  (F,  Fig.  38.) 

A  beautiful  variation  of  the  lower  edge  of  the  weaving  of  a  diagonal 
band  is  shown  in  H,  Fig.  38.  Here,  instead  of  obliquely  folding  and 
creasing  the  splint,  it  is  merely  twisted  in  a  curve  back  to  the  place  it 
would  have  had  if  folded  and  creased.  A  little  practice  will  make  the 
weaver  perfectly  conversant  with  this  pretty  variation. 

Cornucopias,  boxes,  covers,  etc.,  in  great  variety  of  shapes  and 
sizes,  may  be  made  upon  these  principles,  one  of  which  is  illustrated 
in  B,  Fig.  43. 

PICTURE  FRAME.— .Material  required:  eight  long  splints  of 
one  or  various  colors ;  necessary  number  of  short  splints. 

Prepare  foundation  as  described  for  Fig.  37.  Open  up  as  Fig.  41. 
Then  insert  small  splints  and  fill  up  the  vacant  spaces  marked  i,  2f  3*  4 
on  Fig.  41.  Trim  off  loose  edges  and  the  result  is  Fig.  42,  which  can 
have  cardboard  or  leather  back  glued  or  sewed  upon  it,  with  ring 
hanger,  or  easel. 

The  question  of  basket  size  can  always  be  determined  with  a  little 
study.  In  mat  weaving  the  width  of  splint  must  be  considered.  Then 
there  are  practically  five  sides.,  viz.,  bottom,  two  ends,  two  sides. 
These  sizes  determined  it  is  easy  to  cut  splints  the  required  length, 
taking  care,  however,  to  allow  two  inches  or  so  for  turning  in  (tuck- 
ing in)  at  the  edges. 

It  should  never  be  forgotten  that  good  work  of  any  kind  can  be 
done  only  with  splints  of  perfectly  even  width.  These  even  widths 
can  best  be  made  with  the  cutter  shown  in  Fig.  18. 

In  Fig.  43  is  shown  how  this  square  mat  weave  may  be  utilized. 
The  bottom  of  A  is  of  mat  foundation  (simple  checkerboard).  When 
the  corners  are  turned  up,  the  woof  splints  of  the  sides  can  be  con- 
tinued around  the  corners  and  used  as  the  woof  splints  of  the  ends. 
Where  the  splints  meet  they  can  be  tucked  in,  thus  strengthening  the 
parts.  A  little  practice  soon  enables  one  to  do  this  "tucking  in"  or 
"doubling"  skilfully. 

Fig,  43,  C,  is  the  lid  for  D.  It  is  made  same  as  A.  When  the 
cover  is  deep  enough  the  upright  or  warp  splints  are  turned  over  and 
tucked  in.  A  fastener  for  the  cover  to  the  handle  of  the  basket  D  is 
easily  made  by  taking  a  long  splint,  folding  it  around  the  fourth  warp 
splint  from  either  end,  then  wrapping  one  of  the  folds  with  the  other  in 
an  oblique  wrap,  and  binding  it  to  the  fourth  warp  splint  from  the 
other  end. 


44  HOW  TO   MAKE  INDIAN   AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 

The  basket  D  is  made  in  the  same  way  as  its  cover  C,  except  that 
it  is  deeper.  To  produce  the  narrowing  together  towards  the  top  the 
warp  splints  should  be  made  to  taper  a  little. 

The  handle  is  made  as  follows :  Take  two  pieces  of  rattan,  cane, 
willow,  or  palmetto,  the  thickness  desired  and  the  length  the  handle  is 
required  to  be.  For  weavers  use  long  mat  splints  well  soaked.  Hold 
foundation  canes  in  thumb  and  forefinger  of  left  hand  with  weavers 
under  one  and  over  the  other.  Then  wrap  around  left  foundation 


FIG.   44.     MARKET  AND   OTHER  BASKETS. 
Work  of  Students,  Teachers'  College,  New  York. 

splint,  up  between  the  two,  over  and  around  right  foundation  splint 
back  between  tlhe  two,  down  and  around  left  splint,  and  so  on,  alter- 
nating over  and  under. 

A  little  practice  will  soon  teach  how  to  affix  to  basket,  taking  care 
always  to  overwrap  or  tuck  in  all  ends. 

Figs.  44  and  45  show  a  variety  of  small  models  of  baskets  made  by 
the  students  at  Teachers'  College.  Excite  the  interest  of  children  in 
forms  of  baskets  in  actual  use,  and  then  urge  them  to  imitate  or  re- 
produce in  minature.  The  result  will  be  an  interesting  collection, 
showing  market  baskets,  clothes  baskets,  grocers'  baskets,  cotton 


HOW   TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER    BASKETS. 


45 


baskets,  hampers,  etc.  All  these  are  simple  and  need  no  detailed  in- 
structions further  than  those  already  given.  The  children  will  readily 
overcome  the  problems  involved.  Here  adaptability  to  purpose,  to 
use,  can  well  be  exemplified  and  important  lessons  given,  which  will 
readily  suggest  themselves  to  the  teacher,  such  as :  How  each  basket 
is  used ;  how  carried ;  what  it  is  to  carry ;  whether  carried  by  one  or 
two  persons.;  locality  used,  etc.  Show  how  environment  influences 
everything  and  that  the  use  of  different  baskets  in  different  localities 
for  the  same  purpose  is  the  result  of  different  growths,  different  meth- 
ods of  work,  etc. 

CANING  CHAIRS.— To  cane  chairs  is   not  a  difficult  art,  yet 


FIG.    45.     MARKET   AND    OTHER    BASKETS. 
Work  of  Students,  Teachers'  College,  New  York. 


is  practically  useful,  and  has  a  decided  value  in  teaching  the  handling 
of  'splints.     It  legitimately  comes  under  the  head  of  mat  weaving. 

To  practice,  purchase  from  a  kindergarten  suppy  house  a  small, 
square  frame,  in  which  holes  an  inch  apart  are  bored.  Buy  or  make 
pegs  to  fit  these  holes.  Cane  is  coarse,  medium,  fine,  and  fine  fine.  It 
must  be  soaked  in  water  before  using.  Hold  the  frame  on  the 
lap  top  uppermost.  Count  the  holes,  top  and  bottom,  and  pull  a  piece 
of  fine  cane  up  through  the  center  bottom  hole,  and  down  through 
center  top  hole,  leaving  an  end  two  and  one-half  incke*  long.  Pvtt 
peg  into  both  of  these  holes  to  keep  cane  in  place.  Now  bring  long  end 
of  cane,  at  bottom  row,  up  through  next  hole  on  the  right,  keeping 


46 


HOW  TO   MAKE  INDIAN   AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 


it  flat.  Peg  it.  Take  cane  now  to  corresponding  hole  on  top  row. 
Peg;  continue  this  lacing  process  until  right  side  of  frame  is  reached, 
taking  care  not  to  pull  the  cane  tight.  Now  start  to  the  left  of  the  center 
and  lace  as  on  the  right,  but  towards  the  left  side  of  frame.  This  done, 
the  frame  will  be  filled  with  lines  of  vertical  splints.  Now  put  in  the 
horizontal  splints  in  exactly  the  same  way,  working  from  center  to 
right  and  center  to  left.  The  frame  is  now  a  network  of  squares. 
Now,  starting  from  lower  deft-hand  corner,  run  a  splint  to  the  up- 


FIG.  47.     CANE  TIE. 


FIG.    46.     CANING  A  CHAIR. 


FIG.  48.     CANING  A  CHAIR. 


FIG.  49.     WEAVE  OF  CHAIR  CANE. 


per  right-hand  corner  and  continue  these  diagonal  lines  exactly  tihe 
same  as  the  vertical  ones,  working  first  to  the  right,  then  to  the  left. 
At  the  fourth  row  from-  the  center,  however,  actual  weaving  must  be- 
gin. The  splint  must  be  taken  under  a  cross,  over  a  single  splint, 
under  a  cross,  over  single.  (See  Fig.  46). 

This  diagonal  weaving  must  be  done  in  the  two  ways,  viz.,  from 
the  lower  left  corner  to  the  upper  right,  and  from  the  lower  right  to 
the  upper  left. 

For  a  binding  stitch  over  the  holes,  take  a  splint  of  binding  cane, 
wide  enough  to  cover  the  holes  of  the  edge,  inserting  one  end  down 
through  the  hole  at  one  corner.  A  splint  of  fine  cane  is  now  brought 


HOW    TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER   BASKETS.  47 

up  through  every  other  hole,  across  the  binding  and  back  again 
through  the  same  hole,  thus  couching  it.  In  finishing  off  the  ends, 
which  should  always  be  on  the  under  side  of  tihe  frame,  bring  the 
loose  end  to  the  nearest  loop.  Pass  it  underneath  the  loop,  draw  tight, 
then  once  again,  creasing  firmly,  without  any  attempt  to  tie.  This 
will  be  found  to  hold  securely.  (See  Fig.  47.) 

Everyone  is  familiar  with  the  octagonal  meshed  weave  of  the  ordin- 
ary cane-seated  chair.  Whide  doing  the  work  endeavor  to  have  one 
of  these  as  a  pattern  close  at  hand.  The  explanations  that  follow  will 
then  be  perfectly  simple.  The  one  thing  of  importance  to  remember 
is  that  the  first  row  of  splints  must  be  put  on  loosely,  for  there  are  six 
rows  of  splints  and  the  later  woven  rows  tighten  up  to  the  others. 

Sit  on  a  small  stool  or  hassock  and  tilt  the  chair  forward  upon  your 
lap.  Find  the  center  as  before  described.  Put  in  the  splints  vertically 
and  horizontally.  Now  follow  these  by  putting  in  another  set  verti- 
cally on  top  of  the  first  ones  and  through  the  same  holes.  The  fourth 
row  is  horizontally  put  in  and  must  be  woven  as  follows :  over  one  up- 
per vertical,  under  lower  vertical,  at  the  'same  time  pulling  the  upper 
vertical  to  the  right,  and  going  over  or  under  as  the  case  may  require, 
as  shown  in  Fig.  48.  Now  begin  the  diagonal  weaving  from  lower  left 
corner  to  upper  right  corner.  These  go  under  and  over  the  hori- 
zontal pairs  and  vertical  pairs  as  shown  in  Fig.  49.  In  many  chairs 
there  are  little  problems  in  the  corners  that  the  good  sense  of  the 
weaver  will  easily  solve  if  he  is  careful  to  have  a  due  regard  for  pro- 
portion. 

When  the  diagonal  weaving  is  completed,  finish  off  with  the  bind 
ing  as  before  described. 


FIG.  52.  HOOP  AND  SCHOOL,   FIG.  53.  DOLL'S  HAT  AND  TRAY  OF  PLAITED 
BAG  OF  PLAITED  RAFFIA.  RAFFIA. 


48  HOW  TO   MAKE  INDIAN   AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 

CHAPTER  IX. 
THE    PLAIT    OR    BRAID. 


Every  schoolboy  and  girl  is  mure  or  less  familiar  with  the  simple 
forms  of  plaiting.  To  gain  digital  dexterity  it  is  well  to  introduce  it 
into  a  Course  of  Basketry.  First  of  all,  let  the  child  practice  on  simple 
plaiting  with  strands  of  raffia,  beginning  first  with  coarse  and  later 
using  finer  material.  To  facilitate  this  place  a  screw  hook  in  the 
wainscoting  or  on  the  under  side  o>f  the  work  table,  on  which  the 
raffia  can.  be  placed  while  plaiting.  A  little  practical  experience  will 
soon  demonstrate  Ihow  much  raffia  must  be  used  to  obtain  a  plait  of 
any  given  size.  When  a  length  of  raffia  is  about  to  give  out,  length&n 
it  by  splicing,  not  by  tying,  thus  avoiding  knots.  It  is  not  necessary 
to  plait  the  entire  length  needed  before  beginning  to  use  the  plait.  Al- 
ternate plaiting  and  sewing  give  variety. 

To  give  purpose  to  the  work,  stimulate  interest  by  showing  how 
these  plaits  can  be  utilized.  In  the  center  of  Fig.  50  is  the  beginning 
of  a  small  mat.  In  this  the  plaits  are  coiled  flat,  with  the  edges  outer- 
most and  sewed  as  the  coil  grows.  Above  it  are  two  wall  pockets,  one 
with,  and  the  other  without,  a  handle.  Below  it  to  the  left  is  one  of 
another  shape.  In  these  three  the  plaits  are  flat  and  sewed  edge  to  edge 
with  a  large  darning  needle,  using  for  thread  a  fine  strand  of  raffia. 
Sew  on  one  side  only,  and  see  that  it  is  closely  and  evenly  done.  To 
the  right  and  below  is  a  band  made  by  sewing  the  plaits  together. 
Under  the  direction  of  the  teacher  this  can  easily  be  converted  into  a 
harness,  for  the  boy's  own  use  in  playing  horses.  The  saddle  girth 
above  is  of  braided  sisal  hemp  expressly  for  that  purpose. 
Fig.  51  is  composed  entirely  of  plaited  belts,  made  of  corset  lacings. 
These  laces  can  be  dyed  so  as  to  give  design  in  the  plait.  A  little 
experimentation  will  soon  show  that  the  design  depends  entirely  upon 
how  the  colored  lace  is  placed  at  the  beginning  of  the  plait.  The  rings 
are  ordinary  brass  rings,  covered  with  the  lace,  and  the  bottom  belt 
shows  that  ttti-e  ends  are  utilized  for  tying. 

Both  boys  and  girls  can  be  much  interested  in  this  plaiting  if  the 
articles  made  are  converted  into  playthings,  or  something  useful,  for 
their  own  personal  use.  Belts,  bag-handles,  toy  harness  and  the  like 
are  easily  made  from  this  plaited  work. 

Fig.  52  shows  a  hoop  of  plaited  raffia,  used  by  boys  and  girls  in 
one  of  their  out-door  games.,  and  below  is  a  school-bag,  used  for  car- 
rying books,  etc. 

Fig.  53  sihows  a  small  doll's  hat,  and  a  tray,  both  made  of  plaited 
raffia.  AH  the  articles  of  Figs.  50,  52  and  53  were  made  by  small 
children  at  Mr.  Nelig-h's  school  in  Columbus,  Ga. 

Figs.  54  and  55  are  composed  of  model  hats  made  by  the  students 
at  Teachers'  College,  Columbia  University,  New  York.  They  are  all 
of  braided  raffia,  sewed  with  the  edges  outermost. 

In  the  making  of  these  hats  seek  to  draw  out  the  individuality  of 


HOW   TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER   BASKETS. 


49 


each  child  or  student.  Let  one  make  a  continental  hat,  another  a 
colonial,  still  another  a  Puritan.  A  Southern  girl  will  naturally  try  a 
sombrero,  whilst  a  girl  from  the  Dutch  regions  of  Pennsylvania 
will  make  a  Dutch  farmer's  hat.  Others  will  try  the  Panama,  the 
Coolie,  the  Chinese,  the  outing  hat,  the  policeman's  helmet,  the  poke 
bonnet,  etc.  In  army  hate,  of  different  nations  are  a  score  of  suggest- 
ive shapes,  while  in  the  hats  of  the  peasantry  of  the  world  a  host  more 


FIG.    50.     ARTICLES   OF   PLAITED    RAFFIA,    ETC. 

of  excellent  suggestions  may  be  found.  To  add  interest  to  the  work 
let  the  child  know  something  of  the  wearer  of  these  different  kinds 
of  hats.  Here  come  in  opportunities  for  fascinating  little  chats  on  his- 
tory, geography,  social  and  domestic  customs,  the  reasons  that  used  to 
exist  for  the  different  kinds  of  headgear  used  in  the  various  regiments 
of  the  same  army,  etc. 


50  HOW  TO   MAKE   INDIAN   AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 

Them,  too,  native  taste  may  be  exercised  and  called  into  existence 
in  the  choice  of  a  modern  outing  hat.  "If  you  make  a  modern  hat, 
make  such  an  one  as  you  would  personally  like  to  wear."  This  de- 
mands personality,  individuality,  the  conscious  exercise  of  choice. 
Then  try  to  make  a  hat  that  would  suit  some  friend.  Remember  that 
a  good  milliner  in  choosing  a  hat  studies  the  shape  of  the  face  and 
head,  the  color  of  the  hair,  the  form,  etc.,  of  the  wearer.  Thus  she  is 
able  to  produce  a  hat  that  will  harmonize  with  the  individuality  of  the 
wearer. 

Figs.  56  and  57  are  various  baskets  of  plaited  raffia  made  by  the 
students  of  Teachers'  College.  Various  colors  are  used  and  pretty 


FIG.    51.      PLAITED    BELTS. 
Work  of  Students,  Teachers'  College,  New  York. 


effects  produced.  Firmness  of  weave,  solidity  of  the  basket  as  a 
whole,  neatness  in  sewing  the  plaits  together,  harmony  of  color  wlhere 
it  is  used,  and  good  shape  are  a'll  sought  after. 

Five-stranded  plaits  of    raffia  often  come  in    very  useful,  and  the 
manner  of  making  is  clearly  shown  in  Fig.  58. 


HOW   TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER    BASKETS 


FIG.    50a.      BOTTOM    OF   DEERFIELD   BASKET. 


HOW  TO   MAKE   INDIAN   AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 


FIG.    54.      PLAITED    RAFFIA    HATS. 
Work  of  Students,  Teachers'  College,  New  York. 


HOW   TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER   BASKETS. 


53 


CHAPTER  X. 


THE  NET. 


From  page  158,  "Indian  Basketry/'  it  will  be  seen  that  carrying 
nets  were  and  are  made  by  the  Mission  Indians  of  California.  The 
Pimas  have  a  carrying-  basket  in  which  the  net  is  used. 

Various  materials  can  be  used  in  this  work.  Twisted  hemp, 
rushes,  braided  raffia,  yucca  fibre,  etc.  Even  unbraided  raffia  may  be 
used.  It  should  be  slightly  dampened  for  several  hours  before  using. 


FIG.    55.      PLAITED    RAFFIA   HATS. 
Work  of  Students,  Teachers'  College,  New  York. 


For  a  netted  work  or  handkerchief-bag,  as  shown  in  A,  Fig.  61, 
secure  twelve  strands  raffia  of  two  colors  and  a  stick  about  a  yard 
long  and  one  and  one-half  inches  wide.  Hold  the  stick  in  any  easy 
position  so  that  a  strand  of  raffia  may  be  doubled  and  tied  around  the 


54  HOW  TO   MAKE   INDIAN   AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 

stick,  as  shown  in  Fig.  59.  Draw  the  knot  tight.  Put  on  the  rest  of 
the  strands  in  like  manner.  Separate  to  about  an  inch  apart,  then 
knot  each  strand  at  about  the  distance  of  an  inch  with  the  nearest 
strand  of  the  next  pair.  Make  even  meshes  all  the  way  across.  Con- 
timie  this  all  the  way  down  for  five  or  six  rows,  narrowing  the  meshes 


FIG.    56.      BASKETS    OF    PLAITED    RAFFIA. 
Work  of  Students1,  Teachers'  College,  New  York. 

towards  the  bottom.  Then  slip  the  knots  from  the  stick,  and  pro- 
ceed to  close  up  the  bag  by  knotting  the  loose  sides  together. 

At  the  bottom  the  whole  of  the  strands  are  gathered  together  and 
tied  with  a  single  or  braided  strand.  The  ends  are  then  cut  evenly,  a 
length  of  plaited  raffia  put  through  the  upper  mesh  and  tied,  and  the 
bag  is  complete. 

A  pretty  effect  is  caused  by  loosely  braiding  the  strands  of  two  bot- 
tom rows  of  meshes  before  knotting  them. 


HOW   TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER   BASKETS.  55 

Another  style  of  bag  is  made  by  keeping  the  meshes  of  equal  size 
all  the  way  to  the  bottom,  then  joining  the  two  sides  at  the  bottom, 
by  matching  tihe  knots  and  meshes  together  and  then-  knitting  two 
strands  from  the  front  and  two  from  the  back  together  for  the  finishing 
row.  The  ends  can  then  be  cut  and  the  bag  is  complete. 


FIG.    57.      BASKETS    OF    PLAITED    RAFFIA. 
Work  of  Students,  Teachers'  College,  New  York. 

If  tassels  are  desired  they  may  be  made  of  raffia  and  sewed  on. 
When  the  bag  is  lined  with  silk  or  turkey  red  cotton  it  is  a  pretty  and 
serviceable  article. 

A  twine  bag  may  be  made  in  the  same  manner  as  A,  Fig.  61,  ex- 
cept that  the  meshes  must  be  much  smaller,  and  the  number  of  strands 


50  HOW  TO   MAKE   INDIAN   AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 

limited  to  the  size  of  the  ball  of  twine.  With  a  tassel  on  the  bottom, 
and  tied  tightly  on  the  top,  the  twine  allowed  to  come  through  one  of 
the  meshes,  it  can  be  suspended  wherever  needed. 

In  netting  with  raftia  or  other  materialsi   an    infinite     variety     of 
articles  may  be  made,  and  all  different,  as  suggested  in  B,  C  and  D, 


FIG.  58.     DETAIL  OF  FIVE 
STRAND  PLAIT. 


FIG.    59.     STITCH   AND 
KNOT    OF   RAFFIA. 


FIG.  60.     SNIGLE   NET  MESH. 


FIG.    61.      NETTED   BAGS   OF   RAFFIA,    ETC. 


FIG.  62.     NET  MESH. 


Fig.  61.  B  is  a  small  netted  purse  of  raffia  of  fine  mesh,  using  the 
single  net  stitch  of  Fig.  60. 

C  is  netting  the  same  as  described  in  the  work-bag  A,  but  has  a 
bottom  and  top  of  coiled  and  sewed  plaited  raffia. 

D  is  a  pretty  little  basket  made  of  a  fibre  brought  from  Puerto 


HOW   TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER   BASKETS. 


57 


Rico.  It  is  composed  entirely  of  fancy  stitches,  knotted  or  fastened 
as  required.  These  fancy  stitches  give  wonderful  variety  to  basket 
work  and  can  be  introduced  here  and  there  as  taste  and  skill  dictate. 
These  may  be  imitated  from  any  book  of  fancy  needlework,  similar  to 
Figs.  62  to  66,  for  which  I  am  indebted  to  the  "Priscilla  Needlework 


FIG.   65.     NET  MESH. 


FIG.  66.     NET  MESH. 


Book  for  1903."     Any  of  these    may   be    imitated    in    raffia,    yucca 
fiber,  etc. 

A  pretty  napkin-ring  can  be  made  by  taking  ten  curtain  rings 
about  an  inch  in  diameter  and  covering  them  with  the  buttonhole 
stitch  shown  in  Figs.  67  and  68.  Raffia  or  any  fibre  may  be  used. 
When  all  the  rings  are  covered,  overlap  them,  and  then  join  by  passing 
a  ribbon  or  five-strand  plait  of  raffia  (see  Fig.  58)  an  inch  wide, 
through,  then  under  and  over,  as  sihown  in  Fig.  69.  The  size  of  rings 
may  be  varied  to  suit  the  size  of  napkin. 


HOW  TO   MAKE   INDIAN   AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 


HOW   TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER   BASKETS.  59 

CHAPTER  XL 
THE  COIL  WEAVE. 


The  coil  is  one  of  the  favorite  weaves  of  the  best  basket  makers  in 
the  world,  viz.,  the  Indians  of  the  American  West  and  Southwest.  It 
is  simple  and  yet  capable  of  large  variation,  and,  when  performed  by 
an  artist,  is  exquisitely  beautiful.  As  Professor  Mason  has  well  written : 

"Coiled  basketry  in  point  of  size  presents  the  greatest  extremes. 
There  are  specimens  delicately  made  that  will  pass  through  a  lady's 
finger  ring,  and  others  as  large  as  a  flour  barrel ;  some  specimens  have 
stitching  material  one-half  inch  wide,  as  in  the  Pima  granaries,  and  in 
others  the  root  material  is  shredded  so  fine  that  nearly  100  stitches 
are  made  within  an  inch  of  space.  In  form,  the  coiled  ware  may  be 
perfectly  flat,  as  in  a  table  mat,  or  built  up  into  the  most  exquisite  jar 
shape,  in  design,  the  upright  stitches  lend  themselves  to  the  greatest 
variety  of  intricate  patterns." 

The  simplest  form  of  coiled  work  is  shown  in  Fig.  70.  The  ma- 
terial of  the  coil  may  be  almost  anything  capable  of  being  coiled,  such 
as  grass,  sweet  grass,  corn  husks,  straw,  raffia,  broom  corn,  shredded 
cat-tail,  split  willows,  etc.  The  plain  mat  of  Fig.  70  is  of  raffia,  while 
the  fancy  one  is  of  sweet  grass,  with  a  center  of  cedar-bark.  Taking 
a  length  of  the  coil  material,  it  is  tightly  wrapped  with  thread,  twine, 
raffia,  or  whatever  is  to  be  used  for  sewing.  A  strong  tapestry  needle 
is  needed  for  the  sewing.  The  coil  is  then  begun,  the  stitches  being 
taken  just  past  the  preceeding  one,  as  the  work  progresses.  This 
gives  the  even  and  beautiful  spiral  effect. 

The  variation  of  B,  Fig.  70,  will  be  easily  mastered.  The  center 
may  be  birch  bark  (ornamented,  as  this  is,  with  colored  quills),  or  of 
leather.  The  first  grass  coil  is  sewed  to  its  outer  edge.  The  zig-zag 
is  introduced  and  the  mat  then  completed  with  three  rounds  of  coil. 

Great  care  should  be  exercised  in  putting  in  new  material  to  re- 
plenish the  coil.  Upon  this  depends  the  evenness  of  the  work. 

Fig.  71  is  of  coiled  trays  made  by  the  students  of  Teachers'  Col- 
lege. Of  these  Miss  Hyde  writes  and  thus  instructs  how  to  make : 

They  are  made  of  hemp,  combined  with  grasses,  sedges,  rushes,  etc., 
gathered  in  tihe  immediate  neighborhood  of  New  York.  Let  the  chil- 
dren go  out  and  gather  their  own  material  for  these  'simple  trays. 
Dye  the  hemp  and  take  an  amount  equivalent  to  three-eight  inch  coil ; 
wrap  for  a  distance  of  three-fourths  of  an  inch,  allowing  spaces  of  one 
inch  between  wraps ;  then  fasten  and  sew,  each  time  inserting  the 
needle  with  point  toward  you  between  every  wrap,  thus  giving  a  radia- 
tion from  the  center  as  the  work  progresses.  To  finish  allow  the 
coil  to  diminish  gradually  and  make  a  secure  fastening. 

Fig.  72  is  of  a  group  of  mats  and  baskets  made  of  long  pine  needles. 
They  are  pretty  and  useful,  and  made  with  comparative  ease.  D  is 
an  oval  mat,  made  exactly  as  the  mat  in  Fig.  36,  except  that  an  oval 
center  was  first  made  by  bending  a  strong  and  thick  needle  to  the 


FIG.    71.      SIMPLE    COILED    TRAYS. 
Work  of  Students,  Teachers'  College,  New  York. 


FIG.   72.     PINE   NEEDLE   COILED   BASKETS. 


HOW   TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER   BASKETS.  6l 

shape  required.  This  was  then  filled  up  with  darned  work,  and  used 
as  the  basis.  It  makes  an  excellent  tray  for  the  toilet  table,  or  a  mat 
for  the  dinner  table. 

C  is  a  "cute  little  hat,"  circular  in  shape,  decked  off  with  a  piece  of 
ribbon.  The  top  is  an  inch  and  a  half  in  diameter,  the  height  two  and 
a  quarter  inches,  the  width  of  brim  three-quarters  of  an  inch,  the 
diameter  of  bottom,  including  brim,  three  and  one-eighth  inches. 

E  and  G,  Fig.  72,  are  dissimilar  in  shape,  yet  made  in  the  same 
way.  Each  :has  a  base  of  two  coils,  sewed  on  after  the  basket  was 
elsewhere  finished.  The  handles  of  G  are  each  of  two  circular  coils, 
two  and  a  half  inches  in  diameter,  and  sewed  to  the  sides.  F  is 
smaller  and  the  two  upper  coils  are  made  oval  so  as  to  afford  two 
slight  protuberances  which  act  as  handles.  B  is  a  dainty  little  basket, 
to  which  A  is  the  lid.  It  is  two  and  a  quarter  inches  across  at  the  bot- 
tom1, and  the  lid  is  flanged  and  fits  snug. 

When  these  long  pine  needles  baskets  are  known  they  will  become 
wonderfully  popular  in  a  short  time. 

In  the  making  of  all  these  baskets  stimulate  the  student  to  stability 


FIGS.    73,   74,   75.     MANUFACTURE   OF    SPIRALLY   COILED  WEAVES. 
Courtesy  of  the  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Ethnology. 


and  firmness.  A  basket  must  sit  firmly  on  the  table  and  be  tightly 
woven.  No  "wobblety"  bottom,  and  no  slovenly  work  in  the  sides 
will  be  tolerated.  Here  are  two  important  things  to  be  attained. 

Figs.  73,  74,  75  clearly  show  the  Indian  method  of  making  the 
simple  coiled  weave.  I  quote  Lieut.  Cus'hing's  description:  "In  the 
manufacture  of  the  Havasupai  boiling  baskets,  which  are  good  ex- 
amples of  the  helix  or  spirally  coiled  type  of  basket,  the  beginning 
was  made  at  the  center  of  the  bottom.  A  small  wisp  of  fine  flexible 
grass  stems  or  osiers  softened  in  water  was  first  spirally  wrapped  a 
little  at  one  end  with  a  flat,  limber  splint  of  tough  wood,  usually  willow. 
(Fig.  73.)  This  wrapped  portion  was  then  wound  upon  itself,  the  out- 
er coil  thus  formed  (Fig.  74)  being  firmly  fastened  as  it  progressed  to 
the  one  already  made  by  passing  the  splint  wrapping  of  the  wisp  each 
time  it  was  wound  around  the  latter  through  some  strands  of  the  con- 
tiguous inner  coil,  with  the  aid  of  a  bodkin.  (Fig.  75.)  The  bottom 
was  rounded  upward  and  the  sides  were  made  by  coiling  the  wisp 
higher  and  higher,  first  outward,  to  produce  the  bulge  of  the  vessel, 
then  inward,  to  form  the  tapering  upper  part  and  neck,  into  which  the 
two  little  twigs  or  splint-loops,  were  firmly  woven." 

This  subject  will  be  found  more  fully  discussed  in  the  chapter  on 


62 


HOW  TO   MAKE   INDIAN   AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 


Indian  Stitches,  and  in  my  book  on  Indian  Basketry.  Scores  of  ex- 
quisite baskets  made  by  this  stitch  are  pictured. 

As  Professor  Mason  has  shown  in  his  bulletin,  there  are  nine  dif- 
ferent varieties  of  coiled  basketry  which  he  analyzes  and  describes  as 
follows : 

"The  foundation  may  be  (i)  a  single  'Stem  or  rod;  (2)  a  stem  with 
a  thin  welt  laid  on  top  of  it ;  (3)  two  or  more  stems  over  one  another ; 
(4)  two  stems  laid  side  by  side,  with  a  welt;  (5)  three  stems  in  tri- 
angular pO'sition ;  (6)  a  bundle  of  splints  or  small  stems ;  (7)  a  bundle 
of  grass  or  small  shreds. 

The  stitches  pass  around  the  foundation  in  progress  (i)  interlock- 
ing, but  not  inclosing  the  foundation  underneath ;  (2)  under  one  rod 


FIG.   76.     CROSS  SECTIONS   OF  VARIETIES   IN   COILED   BASKETRY. 
Courtesy  of  the  U.  S.  National  Museum. 

of  the  coil  beneath,  however  many  there  may  be ;  (3)  under  a  welt  of 
the  coil  beneath ;  (4)  through  splints  or  other  foundation,  in  some 
cases  systematically  splitting  the  sewing  material  underneath.  With 
these  explanations  it  is  possible  to  make  the  following  nine  varieties 
of  coiled  basketry,  matting,  or  bagging: 

A.  Coiled  work  without  foundation. 

B.  Simple  interlocking  coils. 

C.  Single-rod  foundation. 

D.  Double-stem  coil,  two  rod  foundation. 

E.  Packing  inclosed,  rod  and  welt  foundation. 

F.  Packing  inclosed,  two  rod  and  splint  foundation. 

G.  One  rod  inclosed,  three-rod  foundation. 
H.     Splint  foundation. 

I.     Grass-coil  foundation. 

K.     Fuegian  coiled  basketry. 

These  will  now  be  taken  up  systematically  and  illustrated  (fig.  76). 


HOW   TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER   BASKETS,  63 

A.  COILED  WORK  WITHOUT  FOUNDATION.— Speci- 
mens of  this  class  have  been  already  mentioned.  The  sewing  material 
is  babiche  or  fine  rawhide  thong  in  the  cold  north,  or  string  of  some 
sort  farther  south.  In  the  Mackenzie  Bas:n  will  be  found  the  former, 
and  in  the  tropical  and  subtropical  areas  the  latter.  If  a  plain,  spiral 
spring  be  coiled  or  hooked  into  one  underneath,  the  simplest  form  of 
the  open  coiled  work  will  result.  An  improvement  of  this  is  effected 


FIG.   77.     DETAIL,  OF 
INTERLOCKING   STITCHES. 


KM'..    78.      DETAIL  OF   SINGLE- 
ROD   COIL   IN   BASKETRY. 


FIG.    79.      FOUNDATION    OF 
TWO   RODS,    VERTICAL. 


FiG.   80.     ROD  AND   WELT 
COILED  WORK. 


The  above  four  cuts  by  courtesy  of  the  U.  S.  National  Museum. 


when   the   moving   thread   in    passing    upward   after   interlocking    is 
twined  one  or  more  times  about  its  standing  part  (Fig.  76A.) 

B.  Simple  interlocking  coils. — Coiled  work  in  which  there  may  be 
any  sort  of  foundation,  but  the  stitches  merely  interlock  without 
catching  under  the  rods  or  splints  or  grass  beneath.  This  form  easily 
passes  into  those  in  which  the  stitch  takes  one  or  more  elements  of  the 
foundation,  but  in  a  thorough  ethnological  study  small  differences  can 
not  be  overlooked  (fig.  76  B).  Fig.  77  represents  this  style  of  workman- 
ship on  a  coiled  basket  in  grass  stems  from  Alaska,  collected  by  Lucien 
M.  Turner.  The  straws  for  sewing  merely  interlock  without  gather- 
ing the  grass  roll. 


64 


HOW   TO   MAKE   INDIAN   AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 


C.  Single-rod  foundation. — In  rattan  basketry  and  Pacific  coast 
ware,  called  by  Dr.  J.  W.  Hudson  Tsai  in  the  Poma  language,  the  foun- 
dation is  a  single  stem,  uniform  in  diameter.  The  stitch  passes  around 
the  stem  in  progress  and  is  caught  under  the  one  of  the  preceding  coil, 
as  HI  fig.  76  C.  In  a  collection  of  Siamese  basketry  in  the  U.  S.  Na- 
tional Museum  the  specimens  are  all  made  after  this  fashion ;  the  foun- 
dation is  the  stem  of  the  plant  in  its  natural  state,  and  the  sewing  is  with 
splints  of  the  same  material,  having  the  glistening  surface  outward.  As 


FIG.    81.      FOUNDATION    OF 
THREE  RODS. 


FIG.    82.     FOUNDATION 
OF   SPLINTS. 


FIG.    83.      INTERLOCKING 
COILS,    STRAW  FOUNDATION. 


FIG.   84.     OPEN  COIL,   INCLOSING 
PART   OF    FOUNDATION. 


The  above  four  cuts  by  courtesy  of  the  U.  S.  National  Museum. 

this  is  somewhat  unyielding,  it  is  difficult  to  crowd  the  stitches  together, 
and  so  the  foundation  is  visible  between. 

In  America  single-rod  basketry  is  widely  spread.  Along  the  Pacific 
coast  it  is  found  in  northern  Alaska  and  as  far  south  as  the  borders  of 
Mexico.  The  Poma  Indians  use  it  in  some  of  their  finest  work.  The 
roots  of  plants  and  soft  stems  of  willow,  rhus,  and  the  like  are  used  for 
the  sewing,  and  being  soaked  thoroughly  can  be  crowded  together  so 
as  to  entirely  conceal  the  foundation  (fig.  78). 

D.  Two-rod  foundation. — One  rod  in  this  style  lies  on  top  of  the 
other ;  the  stitches  pass  over  two  rods  in  progress  and  under  the  upper 


HOW   TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER   BASKETS.  65 

one  of  the  pair  below,  so  that  each  stitch  incloses  three  stems  in  a  verti- 
cal series.  A  little  attention  to  fig.  76  D  will  demonstrate  that  the  al- 
ternate rod  or  the  upper  rod  in  each  pair  will  be  inclosed  in  two  series 
of  stitches,  while  the  other  or  lower  rod  will  pass  along  freely  in  the 
middle  of  one  series  of  stitches  and  show  on  the  outer  side.  Ex- 
amples of  this  two-rod  foundation  are  to  be  seen  among  the  Atha- 
pascan tribes  of  Alaska,  among  the  Poma  Indians  of  the  Pacific  coast, 
and  among  the  Apache  of  Arizona.  An  interesting  or  specialized  vari- 
ety of  this  type  is  seen  among  the  Mescaleros  of  New  Mexico,  who 
use  the  two-rod  foundation,  but  instead  of  passing  the  stitch  around  the 
upper  rod  of  the  coil  below,  simply  interlock  the  stitches  so  that  neither 


FIG.   85.     INTERLOCKING  COILS, 
SHRED    FOUNDATION. 


FIGS.  86, 


AND  88.     FUEGIAN  COILED  BASKET  AND   DETAILS. 
By  courtesy  of  the  U.  S.  National  Museum. 


one  of  the  two  rods  is  closed  twice.  This  Apache  ware  is  sewed  with 
yucca  fiber  and  the  brown  stems  of  other  plants,  producing  a  brilliant 
effect,  and  the  result  of  the  special  technic  is  a  flat  surface  like  that  of 
pottery  (fig.  79).  The  U.  S.  National  Museum  possesses  a  single  piece 
of  precisely  the  same  technic  from  the  kindred  of  the  Apache  on  the 
lower  Yukon. 

E.  Rod  and  welt  foundation.— In  this  kind  of  basketry  the  single- 
rod  foundation  is  overlaid  by  a  strip  or  splint  of  tough  fiber,  some- 
times the  same  as  that  with  which  the  sewing  is  done  •  at  others  a 
strip  of  leaf  or  bast.  The  stitches  pass  over  the  rod  and  strip  which 
are  on  top  down  under  the  welt  only  of  the  coil  below,  the  stitches  in- 
The  strip  of  tough  fiber  between  the  two  rods  which 


HOW    TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER   BASKETS.  67 

serves  for  a  welt  has  a  double  purpose — strengthening  the  fabric  and 
chinking  the  space  between  the  rods  (fig.  76  E  and  fig.  80).  This  style 
of  coil  work  is  seen  on  old  Zuni  basket-jars  and  on  California  examples. 
The  type  of  foundation  passes  easily  into  forms  (fig.  76)  C,  D,  and  F. 

F.  Two  rod  and  splint  foundation. — In  this  style  the  foundation  is 
made  thicker  and  stronger  by  laying  two  rods  side  by  side  and  a  splint 
or  welt  on  top  to  make  the  joint  perfectly  tight.     The  surface  will  be 
corrugated.     Tribes  practicing  this  style  of  coiling  generally  have  fine 
material  and  some  of  the  best  ware  is  so  made  up. 

G.  Three-rod  foundation. — This  is  the  type  of  foundation  called 
by  Dr.  J.   W.    Hudson   bam-tsu-wti.     Among   the    Poma  and   other 
tribes  in  the  western  part  of  the  United  States  the  most  delicate  pieces 
of  basketry  are  in  this  style.     Dr.  Hudson  calls  them  the  "jewels  of 
coiled  basketry."     Surfaces  are  beautifully  corrugated,  and  patterns  of 
the  most  elaborate  character  can  be  wrought  on  them.     The  technic 
is  as  follows :  Three  or  four  small  uniform  willow  stems  serve  for  the 
foundation,  as  shown  in  fig.  81 ;  also  in  cross  section  in  fig.  76  G.     The 
sewing,  which  may  be  in  splints  of  willow,  black  or  white  carex  root,  or 
ccrcis  stem,  passes  around  the  three  stems  constituting  the  coil,  under 
the  upper  one  of  the  bundle  below,  the  stitches  interlocking.     In  some 
examples  this  upper  rod  is  replaced  by  a  thin  strip  of  material  serving 
for  a  welt  (see  fig.  76  F).     In  the  California  area  the  materials  for  bas- 
ketry are  of  the  finest  quality.     The  willow  stems  and  carex  root  are 
susceptible  of  division  into  delicate  filaments.     Sewing  done  with  these 
is  most  compact,  and  when  the  stitches  are  pressed  closely  together  the 
foundation  does  not  appear.  On  the  surface  of  the  bam-tsu-wu  basketry 
the  Poma  weaver  adds    pretty  bits  of  bird  feathers  and  delicate  pieces 
of  shell.     The  basket  represents  the  wealth  of  the  maker,  and  the  gift 
of  one  of  these  to  a  friend  is  considered  to  be  the  highest  compliment. 

H.  Splint-foundation. — In  basketry  of  this  type  the  foundation 
consists  of  a  number  of  longer  or  shorter  splints  massed  together  and 
sewed,  the  stitches  passing  under  one  or  more  of  the  splints  in  the 
coil  beneath  (fig.  82).  In  the  Poma  language  it  is  called  chilo,  but  it 
has  no  standing  in  that  tribe.  In  the  Great  Interior  Basin,  where  the 
pliant  material  of  the  California  tribes  is  wanting,  only  the  outer  and 
younger  portion  of  the  stern  will  do  for  sewing.  The  interior  parts 
in  such  examples  are  made  up  into  the  foundation  (fig.  76  H).  Such 
ware  is  rude  when  the  sewing  passes  carelessly  through  the  stitches 
below,  in  others  the  splitting  is  designed  and  beautiful.  In  the  Kliki- 
tat  basketry  the  pieces  of  spruce  or  cedar  root  not  used  for  sewing 
material  are  also  worked  into  the  foundation. 

I.  Grass^coil  basketry. — The  foundation  is  a  bunch  of  grass  or 
rush  stems,  of  small  midribs  from  palrn  leaves,  or  shredded  yucca.  The 
effect  in  all  such  ware  is  good,  for  the  reason  that  the  maker  has  per- 
fect control  of  her  material.  Excellent  examples  of  this  kind  are  to 
be  seen  in  the  southwestern  portions  of  the  United  States,  among  the 
pueblos  and  missions,  and  in  northern  Africa.  The  sewing  may  be 
done  with  split  stems  of  hard  wood,  willow,  rhus,  and  the  like,  or,  as 
in  the  case  of  the  Mission  baskets  in  southern  California,  of  the  stems 
of  rushes  (Juncus  acutus),  or  stiff  grass  (Epicampes  rigidum).  (See 
fig.  83  and  the  cross  section  given  in  fig.  76  I).  In  the  larger  granary 
baskets  of  the  Pima  a  bundle  of  straws  furnishes  the  foundation, 


68 


HOW  TO   MAKE   INDIAN    AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 


FIG.  90.     COILED  RAFFIA  BASKTES. 


HOW   TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER   BASKETS.  69 

while  the  sewing  is  done  with  broad  strips  of  tough  bark,  as  in  fig.  84. 
In  the  Fuegian  coiled  basketry,  of  which  a  figure  is  given,  the  sewing 
is  done  with  rushes,  but  instead  of  being  in  the  ordinary  over-and-over 
stitch  it  consists  of  a  series  of  half  hitches  or  buttonhole  stitches  (fig. 
86). 

Among  the  basketry  belonging  to  the  grass-coil  foundation  type 
are  the  Hopi  plaques,  built  upon  a  thick  bundle  of  the  woody  stems  of 
the  yuccas,  which  furnish  also  the  sewing  material  from  the  split  leaf 
(fig.  85).  If  this  be  examined  in  comparison  with  a  style  of  basketry 
found  in  Egypt  and  in  northern  Africa  as  far  as  the  Barbary  states, 
great  similarity  will  be  noticed  in  the  size  of  the  coil,  the  color  of  the 
sewing  material,  the  patterns,  and  the  stitches.  The  suggestion  is 
here  made  that  this  particular  form  of  workmanship  may  be  due  to 
acculturation,  inasmuch  as  this  type  of  basketry  is  confined  in  America 
to  the  Hopi  pueblos,  which  were  brought  very  early  in  contact  with 
Spaniards  and  African  slaves. 

K.  Fuegian  coiled  basketry. — In  this  ware  the  foundation  is  slight, 
consisting  of  one  or  more  rushes ;  the  sewing  is  in  buttonhole  stitch  or 
half-hitches,  with  rush  stems  interlocking.  The  resemblance  of  this  to 
Asiatic  types  on  the  Pacific  is  most  striking  (fig.  86)." 

The  student  can  utilize  almost  all  of  these  methods  in  one  kind  of 
work  or  another,  and,  when  time  permits,  it  is  well  to  experiment  in 
the  various  styles  with  the  home  materials. 

In  fig.  89,  two  different  methods  of  coiled  basketry  are  shown. 
Here,  after  the  center  has  been  begun,  the  new  part  of  the  coil  is 
wrapped  for  a  certain  number  of  stitches,  then  it  is  sewed  to  the  pre- 
ceding coil,  as  in  A.  In  B,  the  same  method  is  followed,  with  the  ad- 
dition of  a  cross  stitch  over  the  stitch  which  binds  the  two  coils  to- 
gether. The  Indians  of  Kern  County  occassionaHy  use  the  former  of 
these  stitches,  and  my  friend,  Mr.  E.  L.  McLeod,  has  some  beautiful 
specimens  of  the  weaver's  art  done  in  this,  what  he  calls,  lazy  stitch. 
It  is  so-called  by  him  because  each  stitch  is  not  bound  to  the  preced- 
ing coil  as  in  all  their  finer  work. 

B.  fig.  90  is  another  specimen,  made  by  a  ten  year  old  boy,  of  the 
coiled  lazy  stitch.  A,  is  a  work-basket  of  the  same  stitch.  The  bot- 
tom is  two  and  a  half  inches  in  diameter.  The  diameter  increases  up 
to  five  inches,  and  is  then  decreased  until  it  is  3  1-2  inches  at  the  top. 

C.  fig.  90  is  the  next  step  in  coiled  basketry.  We  have  now 
reached,  what  we  might  term,  the  pure  coiled  work  of  the  Indian. 
Though  made  of  raffia,  many  people  looking  at  the  photograph,  might 
easily  mistake  this  for  a  genuine  Indian  basket,  though,  of  course,  no 
one  but  the  merest  tyro  could  be  deceived  if  he  held  the  basket  in  his 
hands. 

Most  of  the  celebrated  baskets  of  the  Pocumtuck  Society,  of  Deer- 
field,  Mass.,  are  made  in  the  stitch  shown  in  Fig.  89.  I  have  pleasure 
herewith  in  presenting  a  description  of  the  baskets  illustrated  and  the 
work  of  this  Society  by  Miss  Margaret  C.  Whiting,  which  will  be  read 
with  interest  and  profit. 

"The  baskets  produced  at  Deerfield,  Mass.,  show  the  fundamental 
traits  of  sound  workmanship  and  an  intelligent  use  of  material,  which 
the  other  crafts  of  that  little  village  display;  and  their  example  has 
been  a  source  of  encouragement  to  the  production  of  the  good  work 


70  HOW  TO   MAKE  INDIAN  AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 


FIG.  92.     COILED  RAFFIA  BASKETS. 
Work  of  Students,   Teachers'   College,  New  York. 


FIG.  93.     COILED  RAFFIA  BASKETS. 
Work  of  Students,  Teachers'   College,   New  York. 


HOW   TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER   BASKETS.  *J\ 

now  being  done  by  other  groups  o-f  village  workers  in  basketry  in 
different  localities.  In  the  matter  of  color  the  Deerfield  workers  in 
raffia  have,  probably,  been  of  chief  public  service,  for  from  the  first 
their  baskets  have  owed  a  good  part  of  their  reputation  to  the  natural 
dyes  they  employ.  With  indigo,  madder,  fustic,  copperas  and  logwood 
these  craftswomen  have  uttered  their  convincing  protest  against  the 
crude  and  vicious  color  discords  of  the  chemical  dyes,  and  with  the 
varying  shades  and  tones  their  old-fashioned  dves  offer  they  produce 
harmonies  the  public  is  quick  to  value.  The  Pocumtuck  Basket  So- 
ciety, as  the  raffia  workers  have  named  themselves,  after  the  long- 
gone  earliest  inhabitants  of  their  valley,  have  wisely  recognized  that 
the  Indian,  like  all  masters  hi  art,  may  not  be  imitated  by  those  whose 
taste  is  sophisticated  and  minds  trained  to  other  and  different  standards 
of  beauty,  and  have  frankly  refused  to  use  designs  or  color  combina- 
tions that  belong  to  the  red  man's  choice.  In  their  designs  they  pre- 
fer to  work  out  the  themes  and  harmonies  of  Nature ;  a  butterfly,  a 
flower,  an  animal  or  even  a  landscape  may  serve  for  suggestion,  and 
the  way  it  is  translated  into  the  medium  of  raffia  furnishes  the  problem 
for  the  individual  craftswoman  to  solve  for  herself.  One  large  basket 
woven  of  the  natural  colored  raffia  for  a  ground  color  bears  two  land- 
scape designs  for  its  decoration ;  on  one  swelling  side  is  seen  a  group  of 
trees  in  dull  rich  greens  against  a  blue  sky,  a  house  in  red  with  win- 
dows and  doors  in  black  and  a  lighter  green  foreground ;  on  the  oppo- 
site occurs  exactly  the  same  landscape  all  dark  in  blues  and  greens, 
the  house  in  black  and  and  the  upper  edge  of  the  roof  and  trees  just 
touched  with  the  pink  reflections  from  a  big  pink  moon  that  rises  in 
the  pale  sky ;  it  is  almost  needless  to  say  this  is  named  "Night  and 
Day."  Only  a  bold  designer  could  carry  out  with  success  so  simple 
yet  complicated  a  scheme.  Another  covered  basket  by  the  same  work- 
er is  made  with  a  useful  handle  that  holds  fast  the  lid  on  double  braided 
cords ;  it  is  developed  in  blues  with  a  row  of  red  birds  solemnly  hopping 
about  its  circumference  (see  Fig.  9).  A  different  temperament  has 
chosen  a  blackberry  for  a  motive  of  form  and  decoration,  the  seeds 
being  divided  on  the  black  surface  by  dull  green  lines  while  the  cover 
with  its  brown  stem  for  a  handle  rising  from  the  green  calyx,  is  all 
black  with  a  row  of  large  dull  black  beads  pointing  the  edge  of  the  lid. 
Turn  up  the  basket  and  one  will  find,  worked  with  a  much  finer  stitch, 
a  beautifully  drawn  black-berry  flower  in  white  raffia  in  the  black 
bottom.  This  charming  surprise,  slyly  prepared  for  the  observant, 
serves  a  useful  purpose,  for  it  lightens  the  dark  interior  of  the  basket. 
One  craftswoman  decorates  her  carefully  shaped  basket  with  a  nice 
drawing  of  white  mice  on  a  dull  olive  background  (Fig.  2) ;  another 
chooses  the  piccotee  pink  for  chief  decoration  upon  the  cover  of  her 
shallow  bowl,  the  flower  is  worked  out  in  red  and  black  upon  a  white 
background  with  a  conventional  border  in  the  same  colors  upon  the 
side  of  the  basket  (Fig.  14).  An  individual  preference  is  shown  in  one 
worker's  use  of  the  swale  grasses  grown  in  the  meadows  about  Deer- 
field  (see  Fig.  8).  She  combines  their  varying  lines  with  colored  raffia 
in  large  card  trays  and  plaques.  Or  another  weaver  produces  her 
effects  from  the  use  of  color  and  exquisite  stitches  in  a  basket  all  done 
in  greens,  with  much  thought  given  to  the  perfection;  of  form.  The 
beauty  that  lies  in  the  natural  corn  husk  when  laid  smooth  in  large 


HOW  TO   MAKE   INDIAN  AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 


surfaces  is  shown  in  still  another  basket  of  a  large  cylindrical  form 
done  in  shaded  indigo  blues  for  background  to  four  poppy  stalks,  each 
rising  from  two  spreading  gray-green  leaves,  and  bearing  big  blos- 
soms worked  from  the  many-hued  pinks  of  the  crepe-like  husks  (see 


In  choice  of  shapes  the  Pocumtuck  basket  makers  cling  to  the  strict- 
ly useful  and  simple  forms  ;  a  bowl  must  stand  firm  on  a  bottom  suffi- 
ciently large  to  sustain  it,  a  cover  must  fit,  a  handle  must  be  strong 
or  the  jury  of  society  will  not  give  its  approval.  The  stitch  chiefly 


FIG.    95.      WEAVING   ON 
EVEN   SPOKES. 


FIG.  94.     BOOK  MARK  OF 
SPLINT  AND  WEB  WEAVE. 

employed  is  that  which  has  been  dubbed  "lazy  stitch,"  and  consists 
of  one  smooth  turn  about  the  coil  and  a  stitch  down  into  the  space  on 
the  row  beneath;  the  coil  is  formed  of  split  or  whole  reeds,  different 
sizes  being  chosen  to  fit  the  desired  effect,  and  sometimes  varied  from 
large  to  small  in  the  development  of  a  single  basket.  Wrapped  spaces 
are  introduced  but  are  not  allowed  to  interfere  with  structural 
strength." 

Figs.  91,  92,  93  are  all  of  coiled  raffia  baskets  made  by  the  students 
at  Teachers'  College.  Here  variety  in  shape  and  design  were  worked 
out,  each  weaver  seeking  to  produce  the  best  possible  effect. 


HOW   TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER    BASKETS. 


73 


CHAPTER  XII. 


THE  WEB  WEAVE. 


We  -now  come  to  the  most  common  of  all  of  the  basket  weaving  of 
civilization,  flic  web.  Yet  this  differs  from  the  checkerwork  of  the  mat 
weaving  only  in  the  fact  that  the  warp  elements  are  rigid  and  the 
woof  is  the  pliable  material.  The  result  is  a  series  of  ridges  on  the 
surface.  Indeed  the  division  into  mat  and  web  weaving  is  purely  arbi- 
trary. Figs.  20,  21,  22,  23  and  24  show  the  simple  stitches. 

BOOK  MARKS.— A  pretty  little  book-mark  may  be  made  with 
wooden  splints,  palmetto,  rattan  or  other  material  for  the  foundation 
and  with  a  long  weaver  of  raffia.  One  long  and  three  short  flat 
splints  are  required.  Place  these  as  shown  in  Fig.  94.  Tuck  the  end 
of  the  raffia  weaver  under  between  8  and  i.  Weave  over  I,  under  2, 
over  3,  under  4,  over  5,  under  6,  over  7,  then  under  8  and  i,  over  two 


FIG.    96.     HOLDING    SPOKES 
AND  STARTING  WEAVER. 


FIG.     97.       DIVIDING     INTO 
SINGLE     SPOKES. 


etc.  Next  round  pass  under  two,  one  ahead  of  the  first  round,  and  so 
on,  until  five  or  six  rounds  have  been  woven.  Tuck  the  end  of  the 
weaver  into  the  part  woven  so  as  to  hide  and  firmly  fasten  it,  and 
when  tips  of  spokes  are  cut  into  points  a  book  mark  is  ready  for  use. 

The  following  exercises  will  all  be  useful  for  later  work. 

ODD  AND  EVEN  NUMBER  OF  SPOKES.— It  must  never  be 
forgotten  that  proper  web  weaving  can  neyer  be  done  with  an  even 
number  of  spokes  and  a  single  weaver.  To  have  the  woof  of  one  over 
and  one  under,  uniformly,  throughout,  there  must  be  an  odd  number 
of  spokes.  The  odd  spoke  may  be  used  in  starting,  or  can  be  inserted 
later.  A  little  practice  will  soon  teach  the  better  way  to  the  student. 
Where,  however,  it  is  essential  to  use  an  even  number  of  spokes  for 
the  warp,  the  effect  of  a  single  weaver  can  be  obtained  by  using  two 
weavers,  both  starting  together,  one  before  and  the  other  behind  the 
same  spoke,  as  shown  in  Fig.  95.  A  little  care  at  first  will  soon  render 
one  expert  in  thus  using  two  weavers. 

MAT   OR    BOTTOM    FOR    ROUND    BASKET.— Take    eight 


74  HOW  TO   MAKE   INDIAN  AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 

spokes  of  No.  4  rattan,  14  to  16  inches  long,  one  spoke,  8  or  9  inches 
long,  aind  a  weaver  of  No.  2  rattan.  Hold  the  eight  long  spokes  as 
shown  in  Fig.  96.  Then  weave  under  the  four  to  the  right,  over  the 
four  at  bottom,  under  the  four  at  left,  and  so  on,  making  two  complete 
rounds.  When  the  weaver  has  been  placed  across  each  side  of  the 
top  set  of  spokes,  separate  the  spokes  as  shown  in  Fig.  97  and  begin 
to  weave  behind  and  before  each  spoke  separately.  This  separation 
must  be  done  with  great  care  and  evenness,  as  strength  and  beauty 
both  depend  upon  the  way  this  is  done.  Weave  one  row,  and  it  will 
be  found  that  the  weaver  coimes  behind  the  same  spoke  with  which 
we  begun  in  the  first  row.  This  would  spoil  the  looks  of  the  basket,  so 
the  odd  spoke  is  «now  inserted  as  shown  in  Fig.  98.  Sharpen  one  end 
and  thrust  it  into  the  center,  underneath.  Then  turn  over  and  continue 


FIG.  98.     INSERTING  ODD  FIG.  99.    RIGHT  SIDE  OF  CENTER 

SPOKE.  WITH  ODD  SPOKE. 


to  weave  as  shown  in  Fig.  99  until  the  mat  or  base  is  the  size  re- 
quired. If  it  is  desired  to  make  a  mat  of  this,  finish  the  last  row  by 
binding  it  as  overcasting  is  done.  After  placing  the  weaver  under 
one  side  and  over  another,  it  is  passed  under  the  last  row  of  weaving 
just  before  it  reaches  the  next  spoke.  Then  pass  it  around  that  spoke, 
in  front  of  the  next,  under  the  last  row  of  weaving  before  next  spoke, 
and  so  on  until  the  whole  edge  is  bound.  Now  cut  spokes  to  a  point 
and  of  even  length.  Soak  ends  for  a  few  minutes.  Then  push  spoke 
No.  i  down  beside  No.  2,  leaving  an  open  curve  as  shown  in  Fig.  100. 
Run  the  spoke  down  as  far  as  possible,  the  further  the  better,  as 
strength  is  thus  added,  and  the  appearance  of  the  basket  improved. 

OPEN  BORDER  NO.  2.  Another  simple  border  is  made,  as 
shown  in  Figs.  101  and  102,  allowing  from  I  1-2  inches  to  5  or  6,  ac- 
cording to  taste,  for  the  loop. 

In  making  these  borders  remember  always  to  soak,  for  ten  or  fif- 
teen minutes,  the  splints  to  be  bent.  Then  be  absolutely  accurate  in 
making  everything  even,  as  the  beauty  of  every  edge  depends  upon  its 
evenness.  It  is  well  to  soak  a  border  after  it  is  made,  so  as  to  readily 
allow  its  being  bent  into  perfect  shape.  It  will  then  dry  as  left. 

STARTING  NEW  WEAVER.     It  will  often  be  necessary,  as  a 


HOW   TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER   BASKETS. 


75 


weaver  runs  out,  to  start  a  new  one.  Leave  the  end  of  the  last  weaver 
behind  a  spoke,  with  about  three-quarters  of  an  inch  to  spare.  Cross 
this  with  an  equal  length  of  the  new  weaver.  (See  Fig.  103).  Then 


FIG.  100.     SIMPLE   OPEN  BORDER. 


FIG.   101.     DETAIL   OF 
OPEN   BORDER  NO.   2. 


proceed.  When  the  basket  is  completed  and  dry  the  unnecessary  ends 
may  be  cut  off. 

SPLICING.— If  it  is  desired  to  hide  the  point  of  new  with  old 
weaver,  the  two  may  be  spliced  as  shown  in  Fig.  104. 

Mr.  Neligh  informs  me  that  he  has  found  it  to  be  excellent  practice 
to  have  his  pupils  make  the  web  weave  with  raffia.  In  Fig.  105  are 


FIG.  102.     OPEN     BORDER   NO.   2. 


FIG.   103.     STARTING 
NEW   WEAVER. 


shown  some  specimens  of  the  work  of  his  pupils.  Pins  are  firmly 
fastened  into  a  board,  the  shape  the  object  is  to  be.  The  warp  strands 
of  raffia  are  then  tightly  tied  around  these  pins,  and  the  woof  strands 
then  woven  as  in  other  work.  One  may  use  a  needle  or  not  as  he  de- 


FIG.  104.     SPLICING  WEAVERS. 


sires.     When  the  weaving  is  done  the  edges  are  sown  together  to  make 
the  object  desired. 

SIMPLE  BASKETS.     The  student  is  now  ready  to  make  simple 


76 


HOW  TO   MAKE   INDIAN   AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 


baskets  of  the  web  weave.  Use  the  mat  in  Fig.  106  as  an  example. 
Begin  the  mat  as  described  in  Figs.  96,  97,  98,  and  99,  finishing  off 
with  border  as  desired. 

The  basket  below  the  mat  is  begun  in  exactly  the  same  way,  but 
after  about  an  inch  of  the  mat  is  woven  draw  the  weaver  tighter.     This 


FIG.    105.      WEB    WEAVING    WITH    RAFFIA. 


slightly  curves  up  the  spokes  and  gives  the  bowl  shape  desired.  As 
soon  as  the  basket  is  as  large  as  required  it  must  be  finished  off  with 
closed  border  No.  I,  which  will  be  described  in  the  next  chapter. 


HOW   TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER   BASKETS. 


77 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


INSERTION  AND  BORDERS. 


Before  proceeding  further  with  the  chapter  on  Web-Weaving 
it  is  well  to  gain  a  full  knowledge  of  insertion  and  borders.  These 
descriptions  are  taken  from  Miss  Firth's  "Cane  Basket  Work."  "In 
making  open  borders  where  it  is  necessary  to  run  one  spoke  down 


FIG.  106.     SIMPLE  RATTAN  BASKETS,  WEB  WEAVE. 
Work  of  Students,  Teachers'  College,  New  York. 

beside  another,  the  awl  must  be  first  inserted  to  open  a  passage  for 
the  extra  spoke,  and  care  must  be  taken  to  have  a  smooth  end,  or 
the  weaving  will  be  pulled  out  of  place.  It  is  al'so  important  to  have 
each  spoke  double  the  length  of  the  height  of  the  basket,  allowing 
the  extra  length  necessary  for  the  loop  at  the  top.  For  convenience 


7<5  HOW  TO   MAKE  INDIAN   AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 

spoke  may  be  cut  half  an  inch  beyond  the  length  required  for  the  sides, 
and  extra  spokes,  a  little  more  than  double  that  length,  inserted  when 
the  weaving  is  finished.  This  will  give  the  appearance  of  three 
spokes,  and  if  well  varnished  will  not  be  likely  to  get  out  of  place. 
Thex  extra  half-inch  must  not  be  cut  off  the  first  spoke  till  the  others 
have  been  inserted. 

"As  the  extra  length  necessary  for  each  border  is  given  with  the 
directions  for  working  it,  one  can  be  easily  substituted  for  another 
according  to  taste." 


FIG.   107.     DETAIL    OF    INSERTION. 


FIG.  108.    INSERTION. 


Pretty  effects  are  caused  by  insertion,  the  details  of  which  will 
readily  be  comprehended  from  Figs.  107  and  108.  The  spokes  of 
the  trellis  work  of  the  insertion  are  finer  than  the  foundation.  "This 
can  be  used  with  any  border  but  looks  well  with  open  border,  Fig. 
102.  The  fine  starting  on  the  right  hand  side  of  a  coarse  spoke, 
crossing  the  open  space  to  the  next  on  the  right,  following  it  inside 


FIG.  109.  OPEN  BORDER  NO.  3. 


FIG.  110.  OPEN  BORDER  NO.  4. 


the  bend  till  the  open  space  is  again  reached,  where  it  crosses  to  the 
left-hand  side  of  the  same  spoke  from  which  it  started." 

OPEN  BORDER  NO.  3.— "This  is  only  another  variation  of  the 
same  prinicple,  the  spokes  being  cut  about  3  inches  longer  than  double 
the  height  needed  for  the  sides  of  the  basket.  At  about  2  inches 
from  the  top  weave  one  row  of  pairing  and  fasten  off  ends.  An 


HOW   TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER   BASKETS. 


79 


inch  farther  up  start  another  row  of  pairing,  add  three  rows  of  single 
weaving,  and  finish  with  another  row  of  pairing.  Proceed  as  for  Open 
Border  No.  2  as  far  as  to  the  insertion,  but  instead  of  inserting  the 
spoke  in  hand  beside  the  same  spoke  as  in  the  upper  part,  miss  one, 
and  slip  it  down  beside  the  next.  This  border  needs  careful  manipu- 


FIG.   111.     DETAIL  OF  PLAIT. 


FIG.    112.      PLAIT. 


lation  to  keep  the  spokes  in  place.  It  can  be  varied  according  to 
size  of  basket  and  taste  of  worker." 

OPEN  BORDER  NO.  4.—- "This  border  necessitates  double 
spokes,  on  which  two  rows  of  pairing  are  worked  at  any  desired 
distance.  See  Fig.  no.  The  upper  part  is  done  on  the  same  princi- 
ple as  Open  Border  No.  5." 

SINGLE  PLAIT.— Each  spoke  is  brought  up  behind  the  next, 
the  last  being  gathered  under  the  first,  as  shown  in  Fig.  in.  For 
the  next  row  this  movement  is  reversed,  each  spoke  being  passed 
down  behind  the  next,  the  last  threaded  under  the  first.  When  the 


FIG.  113.     OPEN   BORDER  NO.  5. 


FIG.    114.     DETAIL   OF  LAST  THREE  SPOKES 


work  is  thoroughly  dry,  the  protruding  ends  must  be  cut  off  as  close- 
ly as  practicable.  See  Fig.  112. 

DOUBLE  PLAIT.— Insert  an  extra  short  spoke  beside  each  of 
those  already  in  use,  and  proceed  with  the  two  spokes  together  as 
in  single  plait. 

OPEN  BORDER  NO.  5.— "Take  spoke  No.  I,  and  at  about  I  1-2 
inches  beyond  the  edge  of  the  basket  bend  it  downwards,  passing  it  be- 
hind No.  2,  before  No.  3  and  behind  No.  4,  leaving  the  end  at  the  front 


8o 


HOW  TO   MAKE  INDIAN   AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 


of  the  basket  to  form  the  plait,  as  just  described.  Take  spoke  No.  2, 
and  working  on  the  same  principle  bring  it  down  behind  No.  3,  be- 
fore No.  4,  and  behind  No.  5,  again  leaving  the  end  at  the  front  of 
the  basket.  Proceed  in  this  way  till  all  the  spokes  are  down  but  three 
(Fig.  113).  Take  the  first  of  these,  bring  it  down  behind  the  second 
and  before  the  third.  In  order  to  keep  the  pattern,  this  must  now 
be  threaded  from  behind  under  the  spoke  first  used,  and  spoken  of 


FIG.  115.  CLOSED  BORDER  NO.  1. 


FIG.  116.  DETAIL  OF 
BORDER  NO.  2. 


as  spoke  No.  i.  Two  upright  spokes  are  still  left.  Take  the  first 
of  these,  bring  it  behind  the  second  and  thread  it  before  and  behind 
the  two  spokes  first  used.  One  upright  spoke  is  still  left,  which  must 
be  threaded  behind  and  before  and  behind  the  three  spokes  first 
used,  and  will  complete  the  pattern.  Finish  with  plait  already  de- 
scribed. See  Figs,  in  and  112.  Length  of  spokes  needed  for  bor- 
der— 10  inches. 

CLOSED  BORDER  NO.  i.— "This  is  the  same  border  and  worked 


FIG.  117.   DETAIL  OF 
CLOSED  BORDER  NO.  2. 


FIG.  118.  DETAIL  OF  CLOSED 
BORDER  NO.  2. 


in  the  same  way  as  Open  Border  No.  5,  the  difference  being  that  in 
this  case  all  the  spokes  are  drawn  tightly  down  except  the  first  three, 
which  are  left  open  to  leave  room  for  threading  the  last  three  through 
them.  The  plait  will  not  be  necessary.  Length  of  spokes  needed 
for  border — 6  inches." 

CLOSED  BORDER  NO.  2.— ''See  that  all  the  spokes  are  the 
same  length,  and  proceed  as  follows :  Lay  spoke  No.  i  behind  spoke 
No.  2,  leaving  enough  room  under  it  for  the  insertion  of  an  ordi- 
nary slate  pencil,  in  order  to  have  space  when  necessary  for  thread- 
ing through  the  ends  of  the  last  spokes  at  the  finishing  of  the  bor- 
der. Lay  spoke  No.  2  behind  No.  3  (Fig.  116).  Pick  up  No.  i,  place 
it  before  No.  3  and  behind  No.  4.  Take  No.  3  (which  is  still  up- 


HOW   TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER   BASKETS. 


8l 


right)  bringing  it  down  beside  No.  I  and  behind  No.  4  (Fig.  117), 
making  one  "pair"  of  ends  turned  down.  The  canes  forming  these 
"pairs"  must  each  in  turn  be  kept  side  by  side  (the  longer  of  the  two 
being  to  the  right)  and  held  perfectly  flat  under  the  thumb  till  the  next 
"pair"  is  down.  Pick  up  No.  2,  bring  it  before  No.  4  and  behind 
No.  5.  Take  No.  4  (which  is  still  upright),  and  bring  it  beside  No.  2 


FIG.  119.   DETAIL 
OF  CLOSED  BORDER  NO.  2. 


FIG.  120.  DETAIL  OF   CLOSED 
BORDER  NO.  3. 


and  behind  No.  5.  This  will  make  a  second  "pair  of  ends.''  The 
longest  of  the  first  pair  must  now  be  brought  before  No.  5  (which  is 
still  upright)  and  behind  No.  6  (Fig.  118),  No.  5  being  brought  down 
beside  it  as  before.  The  shortest  of  each  pair  in  turn  is  left  to  be 
cut  off  at  the  front  when  the  work  is  finished,  or  to  be  threaded 
through  to  the  inside  and  cut  off  there,  making  the  edge  still  more 
substantial.  Proceed  on  this  principle  till  all  the  upright  spokes  but 
one  have  been  brought  down,  and  if  correctly  worked,  there  will 


FfT 


FIG.   121.     DETAIL  OF 
CLOSED  BORDER   NO.   3. 


FIG.  122.     CLOSED  BORDER 
NO.  3. 


always  be  two  pairs  of  ends  after  the  first  pair  is  started,  but  never 
more  than  two.  Take  the  longer  of  the  first  pair,  and  slip  it  behind 
and  under  spoke  No.  I,  the  last  upright  spoke  still  left  being  brought 
down  beside  it  in  the  usual  way,  and  passed  under  the  same  spoke. 
Two  pairs  of  ends  will  still  be  left.  Take  the  longest  of  the  first 
pair,  lay  it  in  front  of  and  beside  spoke  No.  I  (the  spoke  first  used, 
and  which  may  be  marked  by  a  piece  of  cotton  till  the  worker  be- 
comes familiar  with  the  border),  bringing  it  out  to  the  front  under 
spoke  No.  2.  Take  the  longest  end  of  the  last  pair,  bring  it  in  front 
of  .and  beside  spoke  No.  2,  passing  it  under  No.  3  and  the  spoke  in 


82 


HOW  TO   MAKE  INDIAN  AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 


front  of  it.     Each  spoke  must  be  brought  to  the  front  immediately 
above  the  weaving.     Length  of  spokes  needed — 8  inches." 

CLOSED  BORDER  NO.  3.— ''Before  attempting  this  border, 
the  worker  will  do  well  to  work  out  No.  2,  until  familiar  with  its 
principles,  which  are  much  the  same.  No.  2  is  the  simplest  of  this 
class ;  No.  3  as  large  as  would  be  needed  for  any  ordinary  basket ; 


TTV 


FIG.  123.  DETAIL  OF 
OVAL  BASE. 


FIG.  124.  DETAIL  OF  OVAL  BASE. 


but  the  same  kind  of  border  may  be  worked  with  three,  or  four,  or 
more,  spokes  as  easily  as  with  two  or  five,  always  remembering 
that  the  number  of  single  spokes  turned  down  at  the  first  determines 
the  number  of  pairs,  and  that  these  must  never  vary  till  not  one  up- 
right spoke  is  left.  In  Border  No.  3  five  spokes  are  at  first  turned 
down,  and  after  the  pairs  are  started  there  will  always  be  five  to  work 
from  till  the  end  is  reached. 

"Lay  spoke  No.  I  behind  No.  2;  No.  2  behind  No.  3;  No.  3  behind 


FIG.    125.      SPLIT   SPOKE 
FOR   ROUND    BASE. 


FIG.    126.      SPOKES    THREADED 
FOR  ROUND  BASE. 

No.  4;  No.  4  behind  No.  5;  No.  5  behind  No.  6  (Fig.  120).  Pick 
up  No.  i  and  lay  it  behind  No.  7,  bringing  No.  6  (which  is  still  up- 
right) down  beside  it  (Fig.  121).  Pick  up  No.  2,  lay  it  down  behind 
No.  8,  bringing  No.  /  (which  is  still  upright)  down  beside  it.  Pro- 
ceed thus  till  all  the  spokes  are  down  but  one.  Take  the  longest 
spoke  of  the  first  of  the  five  pairs  left,  bringing  it  behind  and  under 
spoke  No.  i,  the  last  upright  spoke  being  'brought  down  beside  it. 


HOW   TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER   BASKETS. 


Five  pairs  are  still  left.  Take  the  longest  of  the  first  pair,  bringing 
it  beside  and  in  front  of  spoke  No.  I  and  under  spoke  No.  2.  Take 
the  longest  of  the  first  of  the  four  pairs  left,  bringing  it  beside  and  in 
front  of  spoke  No.  2  and  under  spoke  No.  3.  In  threading  through 
these  ends,  it  must  be  remembered  that  the  short  spokes  come  out 
immediately  above  the  weaving  and  under  the  roll  of  spokes  which 
forms  the  edge.  Take  the  longest  of  the  first  of  the  three  pairs  left, 
bringing  it  beside  and  in  front  of  spoke  No.  3,  and  under  spoke  No. 


FIG.  127.  WEAVING  OF 
ROUND  BASE  WITH 
TWO  WEAVERS. 


FIG.    128.      ROUND    BASE    WITH 
SPOKES    IN    PAIRS. 


4.  Take  the  longest  of  the  first  of  the  two  pairs  left,  bringing  it  be- 
side and  in  front  of  spoke  No.  4  and  under  spoke  No.  5.  Take  the 
long  spoke  still  left,  bringing  it  beside  and  in  front  of  spoke  No.  5 
and  under  spoke  No.  6.  If  the  two  spokes  which  lie  together  have 
been  kept  lying  flat  on  the  edge  of  the  weaving,  the  border  will  look 
even  and  handsome  (Fig.  122).  Length  of  spokes  required — 10 
inches. 


84  HOW  TO   MAKE  INDIAN   AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

\ 

MORE  ABOUT  BASES. 


In  her  books  Miss  Firth  gives  several  methods  of  making  bases. 

OVAL  BASE.  A  simple  oval  base  may  be  made  as  follows.  Take 
4  lengths,  No.  4  rattan,  24  inches  long,  6  lengths,  No.  4,  6  inches  long 
and  one  length,  3  inches  long.  Place  the  six  short  pieces  for  the 
width  and  the  long  pieces  as  shown  in  Fig.  123.  The  two  lower  spokes 
must  be  placed  on  the  table,  and  the  short  ones  placed  across  them  in 
pairs,  at  intervals  of  an  inch.  The  lower  of  these  two  spokes  must  be 
UNDER  the  center  pair,  and  OVER  the  pair  at  each  end.  The  upper 
spoke  must  be  the  reverse  of  the  lower,  the  short  piece  being  placed 
above  that  in  the  same  order  as  the  lower  spoke.  When  the  base  is 
finished  it  will  be  seen  that  this  short  piece  forms  a  middle  around 
which  the  four  spokes  are  woven.  The  other  two  long  spokes  must 
be  placed  in  a  position  exactly  reverse  to  the  two  first,  as  in  Fig.  124. 
They  must  then  be  pressed  closely  together,  the  left  hand  holding  them 
firmly  in  their  place,  while  the  right  weaves  with  the  inside  spoke  of 
the  two  which  first  used,  passing  it  over  the  two  short  ends  of  the  sec- 
ond pair  of  long  spokes,  and  under  and  over  and  under  the  three  short 
pairs.  The  outside  spoke  must  follow,  but  in  reverse  order.  The  sec- 
ond pair  of  long  spokes  must  be  treated  in  exactly  the  same  way  as  the 
first. 

ROUND  BASE  WITH  DOUBLE  WEAVERS.  Take  12 
spokes  of  No.  4  rattain,  six  inches  long,  and  a  long  weaver  of  No.  I 
rattan.  In  six  of  the  twelve  spokes,  make  a  split  in  the  center  about  an 
inch*  long  as  shown  Fig.  125.  Then  thread  the  six  unsplit  spokes 
through  the  split  ones.  (Fig.  126).  Keep  flat  and  cross  exactly  in 
center.  Take  weaver,  double  it,  leaving  one  end  several  inches  longer 
than  the  other.  Slip  loop  of  weaver  over  six  of  the  split  spokes, 
bringing  under  part  of  weaver  over,  and  top  part  under  the  next 
six  spokes  (Fig.  127).  Repeat  this  as  described  with  Fig.  95  until 
three  rounds  are  made.  Be  sure  that  the  under  weaver  is  always 
brought  to  the  top  before  the  top  one  is  taken  underneath,  to  prevent 
the  weavers  getting  twisted.  Now  separate  spokes  into  sets  of  two, 
(Fig.  128),  pulling  the  spokes  well  apart  to  allow  room  for  the  weavers 
to  be  well  pushed  down.  Then  pair  around  the  double  spokes  for 
three  rounds,  after  which  separate  each  spoke  and  pair  as  in  Fig.  129. 

ROUND  BASE  WITH  SINGLE  WEAVER.  A  round  base 
with  a  single  instead  of  a  double  weaver  may  be  made  by  the  insertion 
of  an  extra  spoke  after  the  dividing  of  the  spokes  begins. 

OBLONG  OVAL  BASE.  Take  13  spokes  of  No.  4  rattan,  5 
inches  long,  and  5  spokes  of  No.  4  rattan,  12  inches  long.  Split  the  13 
spokes  in  center  as  before  described,  and  thread  them  on  the  5  spokes 
as  shown  in  Fig.  130.  Put  the  odd  spoke  in  center  of  the  five.  Then 
allowing  half  an  inch  between  the  spokes,  place  them  as  shown  in  Fig. 


HOW   TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER   BASKETS.  85 

130,  but  with  two  spokes  together  at  each  end.  Double  the  weaver  and 
place  the  loop  over  the  double  side  spokes.  Take  the  underneath  part 
of  the  weaver  and  weave  down  the  side,  then  go  back  and  take  upper 
part  of  weaver  and  weave  beside  it,  counting  double  spokes  at  end  as 
one  spoke. 

Weave  holding  the  base  flat  on  the  table,  and  always  from  left  to 
right.  To  do  the  end  take  up  the  base  in  the  left  hand,  grasping  the 
weavers  where  they  pass  the  double  side  spokes.  Take  the  weaver 
from  underneath  and  bring  tightly  across  the  five  long  spokes, 
place  behind  the  double  side  spokes,  then  put  the  base  flat 
on  the  table  and  weave  down  the  side.  Go  back,  taking  up  the  base 
again,  and  take  the  top  weaver  behind  the  five  spokes,  lay  down  the 
base,  then  weave  down  the  side.  Repeat  this  until  you  have  two 
weavers  crossing  the  five  spokes  top  and  bottom  and  on  either  side. 
Divide  the  five  spokes  into  2-1-2.  (See  Fig.  131).  Pair  around  these, 
but  still  weave  down  the  side.  When  both  ends  have  been  divided  in 
this  way,  take  each  spoke  singly,  beginning  with  the  double  side  spokes, 


FIG.    130.     COMMENCING 
OBLONG    OVAL   BASE. 


FIG.    129.     ROUND   BASE   WITH   SPOKES 
SEPARATED. 

and  pair  around  each  of  the  nine  spokes  at  either  end,  but  still  only 
weave  down  the  sides. 

Wihen  both  ends  are  done,  continue  weaving  straight  round  with 
first  one  we'aver  and  then  the  other,  but  not  pairing. 

While  doing  the  base,  draw  the  weaver  firmly  towards  the  right, 
and  when  doing  the  ends  bring  the  weaver  firmly  down  between  the 
spokes,  which  must  be  drawn  as  far  apart  as  possible  to  admit  of  this 
being  done  efficiently.  In  a  well-made  base  the  weaving  is  always 
drawn  down  so  firmly  that  the  spokes  cannot  be  seen  in  between. 

To  get  the  oval  bases  of  the  size  required,  first  take  the  measure- 
ment across  the  basket.  If  this  is  41-2  inches,  and  the  length  is  to  be 
8  inches,  the  spokes  across  would  h^ve  to  be  placed  within  a  distance 
of  6  inches,  measuring  from  each  lot  of  double  spokes  at  the  end. 

The  reason  of  this  is,  that  enough  space  must  be  left  at  either  end 
to  allow  2  inches  of  weaving,  as  in  a  base  41-2  inches  across  there 
would  be  2  inches  of  weaving  on  either  side,  allowing  one-half  inch  for 
the  five  spokes  down  the  center. 


86 


HOW  TO   MAKE  INDIAN   AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 


If  this  rule  is  followed,  the  right  size  can  always  be  counted  on,  and 
in  the  lids  of  oval  baskets  it  is  particularly  necessary  that  the  size  should 
be  assured  before  starting. 

OVAL  BASE.  Another  method  of  making  an  oval  base  is  to  take 
six  5-inch  spokes,  four  7-inah  spokes  and  one  4-inch  spoke,  all  of  No.  4 
rattan,  with  three  weavers  of  No.  2  rattan.  Split  the  six  five  inch 
spokes  as  described  in  Fig.  125.  Thread  them  on  the  four  seven-inch 
and  the  one  four-inch  spokes,  the  short  one  in  the  center,  leaving  about 
half  an  inch  between  each  of  the  six.  The  six  spokes  are  held  hori- 
zontally, and  the  five  are  vertical.  Start  a  weaver,  back  of  the  vertical 
spokes  and  lying  along  the  uppermost  horizonal  spoke,  with  the  end 
toward  the  right.  Bring  it  around  in  front  of  the  vertical  spokes 
(above  the  upper  horizontal  one),  then  back  and  down  diagonally  to 
the  left,  coming  out  below  the  upper  horizontal  spoke.  Here  it  is 


FIG.    131.     OBLONG      OVAL  BASE. 

brought  around  in  front  of  the  vertical  group,  back  and  up  diagonally 
to  the  left  of  the  vertical  spokes  and  above  the  first  horizontal  one.  It 
is  then  (brought  diagonally  down  ki  front  of  the  vertical  spokes,  to  the 
right  of  therm  and  just  above  the  second  horizontal  spoke.  Next  it 
crosses  diagonally  down  and  back  of  the  vertical  spokes,  to  the  left  of 
them  and  below  the  second  horizontal  spoke,  where  it  is  brought  over 
the  vertical  ones,  back  and  up  diagonally  to  the  left  of  the  vertical 
spokes,  and  just  above  the  second  horizontal  one  as  shown  in  Fig.  132. 
The  same  process  binds  the  other  four  horizontal  spokes ;  making  an 
ornamental  cross  effect  over  each  one,  on  the  inside  of  the  basket  as 
seen  in  Fig.  133.  After  all  six  horizontal  spokes  have  been  bound,  the 
spokes  are  separated  and  the  weaving  begins,  and  is  continued  until 
the  size  desired  is  attained. 

BASE  OF  TWINED  WEAVING  WITH  INSERTED  COR- 
NERS. A  base  of  fine  rattan  or  raffia  twined  basket,  having  a  pe- 
culiar way  of  inserting  the  spokes  at  each  of  the  four  corners,  is  shown 
in  Fig.  134.  The  rubber  bands  holding  three  groups  of  spokes  make 
it  more  convenient  for  the  maker  to  manipulate  the  numerous  spokes, 
as  each  time  around  a  spoke  is  inserted  at  its  proper  place.  When  a 
group  is  twined  with  two  strands  of  raffia  the  rubber  band  is  slipped 
off  the  next  group  and  snapped  around  the  set  of  spokes  just  finished 
and  so  on.  Any  number  of  spokes  may  be  inserted  according  to  the 
size  of  the  base  desired. 

Take  12  spokes  No.  i  rattan  10  inches  long,  4  short  strands  raffia 


HOW   TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER   BASKETS.  87 

in  red,  natural  and  green,  and  add  spokes  of  rattan  and  weavers  of 
raffia  as  desired. 

Before  beginning  the  work  see  that  the  rattan  is  well  soaked  in  warm 
water.  In  fact  this  basket  should  be  frequently  placed  under  water 
and  the  twinings  pushed  closely  toward  the  center.  If  the  work  is 
tightly  done  it  may  be  made  practically  water  tight. 

Cross  five  spokes  at  right  angles  to  five  other  spokes  and  placing 
a  raffia  strand  across  the  laid  spokes,  diagonally  bring  the  strand  under 
neath  to  the  beginning  of  the  diagonal  crossing  where  it  is  securely 
twisted.  Now  cross  over  to  another  angle  and  let  one  of  the  halves  of 
raffia  pass  underneath  and  the  other  across  the  top  spokes  to  the  op- 
posite corner  diagonally — twisting  again.  This  gives  a  cross  of  raffia 
over  the  grouped  spokes. 

Now  begin  to  twine  the  two  strands  of  raffia  from  the  outside  in 


FIG.  132.  DETAIL, 
OP  CENTER  OF 
OVAL,  BASE. 


FIG.  133.  DETAIL  OF 
CENTER  OF 
OVAL,  BASE. 


toward  the  center,  over  one,  under  one,  carefully  impacking  each  stitch 
as  the  twist  is  made.  Fig.  135  Page  126  of  "Indian  Basketry"  shows 
method  of  this  twined  effect. 

Weave  around  three  or  four  times  with  uncolored  raffia  and  then 
bending  one  of  the  extra  spokes  of  rattan  in  half  lay  it  snugly  at  the 
bend  in  the  angle  of  the  crossed  spokes.  It  thus  makes  two  new 
spokes.  Twine  the  raffia  over  each  of  the  two  new  spokes  and  snap 
a  rubber  band  over  the  first  group  of  six.  Care  must  be  exercised  so 
that  the  crossed  spokes  always  lie  flat  until  the  base  is  well  started. 
When  the  twining  crosses  to  the  next  angle  another  spoke  is  bent  in 
half  and  again  fastened  to  its  place.  This  group  is  now  securely  held 
with  another  rubber  band  and  thus  continue  with  the  remaining  spokes, 
letting  the  raffia  continue  for  a  stitch  or  two  beyond  a  corner  before 
changing  to  a  differently  colored  strand. 

Looping  the  colored  raffia  over  a  spoke  and  separating  each  end, 
begin  to  twine  with  both  colored  and  uncolored  until  a  corner  is 
reached ;  now  drop  and  clip  the  raffia  not  needed  and  twine  in  the  cor- 
ner spoke  with  the  colored  raffia.  Twine  around  as  many  times  as  this 
colored  raffia  lasts. 

As  the  work  increases  extra  spokes  must  be  inserted,  and  these 
are  cut  the  length  of  the  angle  where  they  are  to  be  placed.  When 


HOW  TO   MAKE   INDIAN   AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 

the  base  is  the  desired  diameter  stop  adding  spokes  and  gather  three  of 
the  grouped  spokes  into  one  and  then  shape  the  basket  as  desired. 
Any  shaped  basket  may  be  formed  from  this  base,  four  sided,  round 
or  flat.  Finish  off  by  folding  down  the  ends  of  the  spokes  and  add  a 
cofl  of  three  or  four  rattans  the  length  of  the  circumference  of  the  open- 


FIG.    134.      BASE    OF    TWINED    WEAVING    WITH    INSERTED  CORNERS. 

ing  and  with  the  raffia  sew  over  and  over  edge,  all  the  way  around,  se- 
curely fastening  the  ends  by  hiding  them  under  three  or  four  of  the 
twined  stitches. 

This  basket  is  closely  allied  to  the  Alaskan  baskets,  but  is  unique 
in  its  method  of  enlarging.  For  these  directions  I  am  indebted  to  Mrs. 
John  P.  S.  Neligh,  of  the  Industrial  School,  Columbus,  Ga. 


HOW   TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER   BASKETS.  &) 

CHAPTER  XV. 
WEB  WEAVING  CONTINUED. 


We  now  return  to  the  making  of  baskets  by  the  web  weave.  The 
two  baskets  on  the  right  of  Fig.  106  are  now  to  be  described.  For  the 
upper  one  take  eight  spokes  of  No.  4  rattan  14  inches  long,  and  weavers 
of  No.  2  rattan.  Start  the  base  as  described  in  either  Fig.  96  or  Fig. 
125.  Make  the  base  the  size  desired,  then  turn  up  the  foundation 
spokes,  weave  the  sides  and  finish  oft"  with  one  of  the  closed  borders. 

The  lid  is  made  in  exactly  the  same  way  as  the  base,  finishing  the 
border  with  the  rope  twist. 

The  bottom  basket  to  the  right  is  made  in  the  same  manner. 

Fig.  135  is  of  more  'simple  web  weave  baskets  made  by  the  students 
at  Teachers  College.  The  one  to  the  left  and  the  upper  one  are  both 
made  of  No.  2  rattan  for  both  spokes  and  weaver.  Begin  the  base  as 
already  described.  Turn  up  foundation  spokes  for  the  sides,  weave 
as  high  as  desired  and  finish  off  with  closed  border  No.  2. 

The  covered  basket  with  the  handle  is  equally  easy  to  make.  Be- 
gin as  before  described,  turn  up,  as  soon  as  base  is  as  large  as  required, 
taking  care  that  the  angle  of  the  sides  is  evenly  preserved.  Finish 
with  simple  closed  border.  Make  the  lid  in  like  fashion.  The  handle 
is  of  three  long  strands  of  rattan,  doubled  and  twisted  while  pliable. 

A  pretty  basket  is  shown  in  Fig.  136.  For  the  base  take  six  spokes 
of  No.  2  rattan,  about  two  and  a  half  inches  long.  Make  base  as  de- 
scribed in  Figs.  96  or  125.  When  woven  up  to  the  end  of  spokes  take 
15  pieces  of  finer  rattan,  and  thrust  into  base  by  the  side  of  the  spokes, 
inserting  the  extra  ones  so  as  to  have  all  the  spokes  as  near  equidistant 
as  possible.  Now  soak  for  a  few  .minutes.  When  pliable  bend  up 
for  sides,  weave  plait  of  straw  or  any  other  material  either  made  or 
purchased  until  the  sides  are  as  high  as  desired. 

Then  proceed  to  make  closed  border  No.  i  as  described  in  Fig.  115. 
The  lid  is  made  in  same  way  as  base  or  using  both  splint  and  plait 
for  weavers.  To  fasten  lid  and  basket  together  take  piece  of  finest 
rattan,  loop  through  lid  and  border  of  basket,  then  twist,  making  an 
open  loop  for  handle  about  an  inch  across.  Then  thread  one  end  of 
handle  splint  through  basket  and  lid  one  way  and  the  other  way. 
Where  they  meet  tuck  in  ends  and  basket  is  complete. 

WEB  WOVEN  BIRD  NEST.  Take  24  spokes  of  No.  2  rattan 
for  foundation.  Make  base,  drawing  weavers  tightly,  so  that  bottom  is 
convex.  When  about  6  inches  across,  turn  up  foundation  spokes  for 
sides,  and  proceed  to  weave  as  before,  drawing  weavers  tight  so  that 
the  sides  close  in  towards  the  top.  When  the  side  is  about  an  inch 
and  a  half  high  cut  short  two  of  the  spokes  and  turn  in  as  for  a  closed 
border.  Then  continue  to  weave,  leaving  open  space  where  these 
spokes  were,  turning  the  weaver  back  around  the  spoke  on  each  side 
of  the  open  space.  Wreave  up  in  this  way  for  about  an  inch  and  a 
quarter,  then  bridge  the  space  by  bending  the  two  end  spokes 


HOW  TO   MAKE   INDIAN   AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 


HOW   TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER   BASKETS.  QI 

over  the  space.  Now  rapidly  draw  the  top  together,  working  in  two 
of  the  spokes  instead  of  one,  until  it  is  impossible  to  weave  higher. 
Leave  the  ends  of  the  spokes  irregular  so  as  to  let  the  top  of  the  nest 
appear  like  'a  bundle  of  twigs.  Place  in  a  tree,  and  do  not  be  surprised 
if  the  following  nesting  time  a  pair  of  birds  takes  possession. 

BASKET  WITH  FANCY  BASE.  Fig.  138  shows  an  unfinished 
basket  from  which,  however,  the  student  may  gain  a  few  ideas.  In 
making  the  photograph  I  failed  to  notice  that  it  was  somewhat  out  of 
shape.  The  base  is  made  as  any  ordinary  mat,  inserting  new  spokes 
as  desired,  until  it  is  about  8  inches  in  diameter,  woven  so  tightly  that 
the  (bottom  is  convex.  Now  insert  double  spokes  for  fancy  base  and 
weave  about  an  inch  and  a  quarter  finishing  it  by  any  form  of  closed 
border  desired. 

Now  use  fancy  plaited  straw  as  a  weaver  for  the  sides  and  weave 
as  high  as  desired,  say  five  inches.  Finish  with  a  simple  border  as 
shown  to  the  left,  or  as  desired. 

Fig.  139  shows  two  small  wood  splint  baskets  of  a  type  much  sold 
in  Europe.  The  foundation  spokes  may  be  of  palmetto,  wood  splints 
or  rattan,  and  twelve,  fourteen*  or  sixteen  in  number.  A.  Fig.  139 
shows  the  arrangement  of  the  base.  First  lay  the  spokes  star  shape  as 
shown.  Then  sew  around  edges  with  a  piece  of  thread  to  hold  them  in 
place.  Bend  spokes  up  for  sides,  taking  care  to  do  it  evenly.  If  an 
even  number  of  spokes  is  kept,  the  weaving  must  proceed  as  described 
with  Fig.  95.  If  an  extra  odd  spoke  is  introduced  a  single  weaver  will 
do. 

When  the  basket  is  as  high  as  desired  turn  down  and  tuck  on  the 
inside  of  basket  all  the  spokes.  Then  wrap  with  a  broader  splint, 
like  overcasting,  thus  making  a  secure  binding. 

The  handle  is  formed  by  thrusting  a  piece  of  rattan  the  size  de- 
sired, with  a  wide  splint  above  it,  down  to  the  base,  through  the  weav- 
ing, and  then  wrapping  as  described  for  the  binding,  Staking  care  to 
tuck  the  ends  in  as  far  as  possible.  Some  prefer  to  make  the  handle 
before  binding  the  top,  using  a  weaver  long  enough  to  wrap  both 
handle  and  top.  This  adds  strength  and  gives  fewer  ends  to  care  for. 


HOW   TO   MAKE   INDIAN   AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 


HOW    TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER    BASKETS.  93 

CHAPTER  XVI. 
SPLINT  AND  SWEET  GRASS  BASKETS. 


These  are  most  popular  baskets,  hence  it  is  deemed  appropriate  to 
give  full  particulars  as  >to  the  methods  of  weaving-  a  variety  of  those 
generally  preferred.  The  photographs  were  all  (made  from  the  as- 
sortment of  the  Hyde  Exploring  Expedition,  26  West  23rd  Street, 
New  York,  where  Miss  Marie  Toxuse,  an  Abenaki  Indian,  is  en- 
gaged as  weaver  and  teacher. 

In  these  descriptions  it  will  be  seen  that  the  mat,  plait,  twined  and 
web  weave  are  all  utilized.  Most  of  the  baskets  are  easy  to  make 
and  any  ordinary  student  can  make  them  from  the  descriptions  given. 

In  starting  the  base  of  a  splint  basket  place  a  small  board,  on  which 
the  work  is  to  be  done,  on  the  lap.  Then,  one  by  one,  place  the 
splints  in  order  as  shown  in  Fig.  140,  taking  care  that  !they  are  equi- 
distant and  regular  at  the  edges. 

Now,  take  the  weaver  in  the  right  hand,  and,  thrusting  the  end 
between  two  of  the  spokes,  hold  it  firmly  with  the  left  hand  (see  Fig. 
141),  while  with  the  right  the  weaver  is  worked  in  and  out  of  the 
spokes,  pulling  it  as  tightly  as  possible.  Exercise  great  care  in 
keeping  the  spokes  firmly  pressed  upon  the  board,  or  they  will  be 
pulled  out  of  place. 

As  soon  as  the  weaver  has  been  .taken  around  once  it  will  be  nec- 
essary (in  order  to  have  the  weaver  go  under  the  spokes  in  the  second 
round,  over  which  it  went  in  the  first  round),  to  take  the  weaver  over 
two  spokes  as  shown  in  Fig.  142.  This  must  be  done,  each  time 
round.  When  as  many  rounds  are  woven  as  necessary,  take  each 
spoke  and  bend  it  up  to  form  the  foundation  for  the  sides,  when 
it  will  appear  as  Fig.  143,  and  is  now  ready  for  the  weaving  of  the 
sides. 

SPLINT  BASKETS. — Fig.  15  contains  five  articles  made  solely 
of  splints,  except  the  book  mark.  This  is  composed  of  one  spoke, 
ten  inches  long,  and  seven  others  about  21-2  inches  long.  All  the 
small  spokes  are  cut  so  as  to  be  very  narrow  in  the  center  and  widen 
out  towards  the  edge.  They  are  placed  across  each  other  in  a  circle, 
held  firmly,  and  bound  with  three  or  four  rows  of  simple  web  weav- 
ing. Then  using  twined  weaving  the  spokes  are  covered  as  much  as 
required.  The  stitch  is  finished  off  by  tying  the  sweet  grass.  The 
ends  of  the  spokes  may  be  cut  as  desired,  either  rounded,  pointed 
or  V  shaped. 

For  the  napkin  ring  take  one  wood  splint  7-8-inch  wide,  and  two 
3-8-inch  wide.  Then  take  a  narrow  wood  splint  weaver  and  web 
weave  the  three  splints  together,  twining  the  weaver  around  the 
edges  and  returning  from  side  to  side.  Cut  the  broad  splints  the 
length  required,  and,  as  the  weaving  continues,  bend  into  the  ring 
form,  tuck  in  the  edges  of  the  foundation  splints  and  complete  the 
weaving.  Now  take  a  7-8-inch  wide  colored  splint,  and  thread  on  the 


FIG.    141.      INSERTING   WEAVER   IN    SPLINT    BASE. 


HOW   TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER   BASKETS-  95 

outside  of  the  ring,  under  three  and  over  two,  making  a  bow  by 
lacing  back  and  forth  and  tucking  in  the  end.  The  spiral  ornament- 
ation for  the  edges  is  made  by  taking  a  3-8-inch  wide  splint,  colored, 
thrusting  it  under  one  of  the  weavers,  then  wrapping  around  the 
spiral  shape,  missing  one  weaver,  drawing  under  the  next,  twisting 
again,  missing  a  weaver,  and  twisting  again  over  the  next  and  so  on. 

The  diagonal  mat  weave  basket  in  the  left  corner  is  made  as  is  the 
one  described  elsewhere.  Two  colors  of  splints  are  used  and  the 
handles  are  of  plaited  sweet  grass,  sewed  with  strong  thread  to  the 
sides. 

The  square  basket  is  simple  mat  weave  for  the  bottom,  and  web 
weave  for  the  sides  and  top,  the  edges  being  strengthened  by  turning 
in  the  foundation  spokes,  then  binding  strong  splints  around  the  rims. 

For  the  hand  basket  take  one  splint  5-8-inch  wide  and  two  1-2- 
inch  wide,  and  about  3  feet  long.  Then  15  splints  about  26  inches 
long  and  i -2-inch  wide.  Make  of  these  a  mat  foundation,  putting 
the  three  splints  lengthwise  and  the  15  across  art;  right  angles.  Now 
turn  up  for  sides  and  web  weave  with  splints  any  size  smaller  than 
i-8-inch.  When  within  three  and  a  half  inches  of  the  top,  web  weave 
with  four  rows  of  splints  (or  rather,  two  double  rows),  the  splints 
to  be  6-8  of  an  inch  wide.  Curl  a  third  splint  into  each  double  row 
as  described  immediately  for  Fig.  4.  Then  finish  with  one  row  of 
narrow  splint,  strengthen  the  rim  inside  with  stout  splint,  and  out- 
side with  sweet  grass  and  bind  with  a  narrow  splint.  The  handles  are 
of  splints  i -8-inch  wide  twisted  with  narrower  splint  and  tied  to  the 
edge  of  the  basket. 

CLOTHES  HAMPER  OF  SPLINTS.— Fig.  4  is  a  large  fancy 
basket  of  splints,  made  by  Abenaki  Indians  of  Pierreville,  Canada, 
and  presented  to  Mr.  T.  F.  Barnes,  editor  "The  Papoose,"  New  York 
City.  It  is  2  feet  9  inches  in  height,  i  foot  8  inches  in  di'ameter  at 
the  top  and  four  or  five  inches  less  at  the  bottom.  The  base  is  of 
extra  strong  wood  splints,  arranged  as  Fig.  140,  and  the  side  splints 
are  also  extra  strong.  The  first  nine  rows  of  weaving  on  the  sides 
are  of  doubled  splints,  3-4  of  an  inch  wide.  The  under  of  these  two 
splints  is  woven  under  one  and  over  one  of  the  side  spokes  as  in  all 
ordinary  weaving,  but  the  upper  splint,  in  taking  the  "over"  stitch, 
instead  of  being  pulled  tight,  is  left  looped.  The  arrangement  of  the 
loops  is  such  that  the  loops  of  the  second  row  come  over  the  spokes 
of  the  row  beneath.  Thus  the  loops  alternate  in  the  rows. 

Following  this  set  of  nine  rows  of  looped  stitches  is  a  belt  of  weave 
made  with  ordinary  white  splints,  about  i-8-inch  wide,  under  two  and 
over  two.  The  next  belt  is  of  one  splint,  colored,  nearly  an  inch  and 
a  half  wide.  Then  another  belt  of  narrow  white  splints.  Now  a 
belt  of  six  splints  of  three  colors,  two  of  green,  two  red,  two  purple. 
(I  am  not  commending  the  color  scheme,  which  is  simply  hideous,  in 
thus  particularizing  the  colors.)  In  each  of  these  three  pairs  of  rows, 
three  splints  are  used  instead  of  two.  The  use  of  the  extra  third 
splint  is  to  get  the  "curl"  shown  in  the  design.  In  inserting  the 
weavers  put  in  two  for  the  bottom  row  and  follow  with  one  in  the 
row  above,  so  that  it  alternates  with  the  lower  one  over  the  founda- 
tion spokes.  When  the  upper  weaver  of  the  lower  row  comes  from 
under  the  spoke,  curl  it  back  and  up  under  the  next  spoke  in  the 
row  above.  Now  curl  it  down  and  under  the  next  spoke  in  the  bot- 


96  HOW  TO   MAKE   INDIAN   AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 


F.G.  140.     BEGINNING  BASE  OF  SPLINT  BASKET. 
Courtesy  Hyde  Exploring  Expedition,   New  York. 


FIG.    142       JUMPING    TWO    SPOKES. 


HOW   TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER   BASKETS.  Q/ 

torn  row,  and  so  on  until  the  complete  round  is  made.     Each  pair 
of  rows  is  woven  in  like  manner. 

This  belt  of  "curled"  weave  is  followed  by  weaving  belts  above  it, 
similar  to  those  below  it,  as  shown  by  the  design.  At  the  top,  four 
rows  of  plain  simple  weaving  gives  firmness.  Then  the  spoke  splints 
are  bent  at  right  angles  and  six  or  seven  rows  of  weaving  taken  upon 
this  portion,  which  thus  forms  a  kind  of  shelf  or  rim.  The  founda- 
tion splints  are  now  turned  upright  again  and  a  row  of  the  "loop" 
weave  with  inch-wide  splints  made,  after  which  it  is  finished  off  with 
three  strong  splinits  inside  and  one  colored  one  outside,  wrapped 
around  and  bound  on  with  small  white  splints.  The  finishing  border 
is  of  these  same  splints  wound  under  and  over  and  looped  as  will 
clearly  be  seen  in  the  design. 

The  lid  is  composed  (as  is  the  base)  of  splints  that  broaden  as  they 
reach  the  periphery.  Two  or  three  rows  of  narrow  weavers  fix  the 
spokes  in  position.  Two  rows  of  loop  weave  and  then  the  spokes  are 
curved  down,  and  eleven  or  twelve  rows  of  narrow  splint  weave 
taken.  Then  the  splints  are  bent  out  and  split,  each  splint  thus  form- 
ing two.  One  single  row  of  plain  weave  with  a  wide  splint  and  five 
of  loop  weave,  followed  with  three  narrow  splint  weave,  and  the 
spokes  are  turned  under,  and,  when  the  handle  is  wrapped  on  the  top, 
the  lid  is  complete. 

SWEET  GRASS  FAN. — Fig.  5  is  a  sweet  grass  and  splint 
foundation  fan.  The  splints  are  cut  so  as  to  be  very  narrow  in  the 
center  and  widen  rapidly  towards  the  edge.  This  can  readily  be  seen 
by  looking  at  the  fan  in  Fig.  5.  Place  the  splints  crossed  for  the 
center,  as  the  simple  splints  of  Fig.  140.  Then  with  a  single  strand 
weave  under  and  over  for  five  or  six  rows.  Now  take  two  strands 
and  use  the  "twined"  weave  or  pairing,  as  described  in  Figs.  22  and 
134.  The  sweet  grass  must  be  dampened  and  pressed  closely  into 
position  as  each  row  is  woven.  When  within  an  inch  of  the  edge 
weave  two  or  three  rows  with  plain  white  narrow  splint.  Now  trim 
the  foundation  spokes  as  shown  in  Fig.  5,  and,  taking  narrow  splint 
weavers  loop  the  border,  fastening  it  to  the  last  row  of  splint  weave, 
which  has  been  well  anchored  by  fastening  it  below.  For  a  handle, 
take  a  stout  wooden  splint,  loop,  and  tuck  well  under  the  sweet  grass 
down  one  of  the  foundation  spokes.  Upon  this  place  lengths  of  sweet 
grass.  Then  wrap  tightly  as  shown  in  Fig.  5,  fastening  off  the  end 
by  tightly  wrapping  and  tucking  in. 

SPLINT  AND  SWEET  GRASS  BASKETS.— In  Fig.  6  four  bas- 
kets of  splints  and  sweet  grass  are  shown.  In  the  bottom  one  to  the 
left  the  base  is  composed  of  simple  mat  foundation,  five  splints  each 
way.  These  are  turned  up  for  the  sides  and  twined  weaving  of  sweet 
grass  composes  the  woof.  \Vhen  the  desired  height  is  attained,  the 
spokes  are  turned  down  and  tucked  in.  Then  the  rim  is  strengthened 
inside  with  a  colored  splint,  and  outside  with  a  row  of  sweet  grass,  both 
of  which  are  bound  on  with  a  narrow  splint  as  is  clearly  seen  in  the  en- 
graving. The  lid  is  made  of  five  broad  and  two  narrow  splints,  the 
latter  at  the  sides.  On  these  are  woven  twined  rows  of  sweet  grass, 
and  the  edges  bound  as  is  the  rim  of  the  basket.  The  former  is 
affixed  to  the  latter  by  lacing  the  binding  of  the  basket  to  that  of  the 
lid.  A  small  wrapped  loop  is  affixed  to  both  basket  and  lid. 

The  only   difference   between  the   basket   at   the   bottom    to   the 


FIG.  144.     BASKETS  OF  SPLINT  AND  SWEET  GRASS. 
Courtesy  Hyde  Exploring  Expedition,   New  York. 


HOW   TO    MAKE    INDIAN    AND    OTHER   BASKETS.  99 

right  and  the  one  just  described  is  that  after  a  few  rows  of  sweet  grass 
are  twined  into  the  sides  one  wide  and  two  narrow  splints  are  intro- 
duced. The  wide  splint  is  woven,  one  under,  one  over,  as  in  all 
ordinary  web  weaving.  But  the  two  small  splints — which  together 
are  about  1-8  of  an  inch  wider  than  the  broad  splint  on  which  they 
rest — are  crossed  from  bottom  to  top  under  every  other  spoke,  form- 
ing a  little  nipple  or  elevation  between  the  spokes.  Then  more 
twined  sweet  grass  completes  the  sides,  which  are  bound  as  before 
described.  The  lid  is  made  in  like  manner. 

The  round  basket  of  Fig.  6  is  composed  of  even  splints  about  half- 
an -inch  wide  and  laid  as  shown  in  Fig.  140. 

Three  or  four  rows  of  simple  web  weave  at  the  outer  edge  of  the 
base  tighten  the  spokes.  They  are  then  turned  up  for  the  sides  and 


FIG.   145.     SPLINT   AND   PLAITED   SWEET    GRASS    BASKETS. 
Courtesy  Hyde  Exploring  Expedition,   New  York. 


sweet  grass  twined  in  up  to  the  top.  Then  the  spokes  are  turned 
in,  and  the  rim  strengthened  with  other  splints  and  bound  with  a 
narrow  splint. 

The  lid,  however,  is  made  quite  differently.  For  this  the  spokes 
must  be  very  narrow  in  the  center  and  broaden  towards  the  edges. 
They  are  then  woven  with  twined  sweet  grass  until  the  lid  is  the 
size  of  the  basket,  or  a  trifle  larger.  The  spokes  are  now  turned 
down,  and  the  twining  continued  until  the  flange  of  the  cover  is  as 
deep  as  required.  The  spokes  are  then  turned  in,  the  edge  strength- 
ened by  a  suitable  splint  and  bound  as  before.  The  handle  is  fas- 
tened to  a  loop  which  is  held  secure  by  being  taken  under  the  sweet 
grass  of  the  under  side  of  the  lid  in  several  places. 

The  method  of  making  the  handkerchief  basket  in  Fig.  6  will  be 
described  in  a  later  Bulletin  of  the  Basket  Fraternity, 

Fig.  7  shows  the  bases  and  lids  of  the  baskets  of  Fig.  6,  and  a  study 
of  them  will  make  the  foregoing  instructions  much  more  clear. 

The  carrying  basket  of  Fig.  144  is  of  mat  weave  and  web  weave, 


IOO 


HOW  TO   MAKE  INDIAN   AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 


FIG.    146.     SPLINT   AND    PLAITED    SWEET    GRASS    BASKETS. 
Courtesy  Hyde  Exploring  Expedition,   New  York. 


HOW  TO   MAKE   INDIAN   AND   OTHER  BASKETS.  101 

using  plaited  sweet  grass,  plain  splints,  and  the  curl  weave  to  give 
ornamentation.  Take  four  splints  about  23  inches  long,  and  3-8  of  an 
inch  wide.  Cross  these  in  simple  mat  weave  with  twelve  similar 
splints,  18  inches  long.  Turn  these  up  for  ends  and  sides.  First  hold 
together  with  one  row  of  simple  splint  weave.  Then  take 
two  plaits  of  thickly  plaited  sweet  grass  and  proceed  to 
web  weave.  Now  we  take  three  weavers  an  inch  wide  and 
a  long  plait  of  extra  thick  plaited  grass.  Make  two  rows 
of  ordinary  web  weave  with  two  of  these  wide  splints.  Loop 
the  plait  and  bind  to  the  side  by  twisting  or  curling  the  third  wood 
splint  around  the  plait,  under  a  foundation  splint,  over  the  plait,  under 
the  upper  part  of  the  next  foundation  splint,  and  so  on  alternating  the 
wrapping  of  the  curled  splint  around  the  foundation  splints  exposed 
by  the  upper  and  lower  of  the  two  broad  weavers.  Now  continue  the 
weaving  of  the  sides  with  six  rows  of  plain  web  weave  and  six  rows 
of  double  plaited  sweet  grass  as  before.  Turn  down  and  tuck  in  the 
foundation  spokes,  strengthen  the  edges  or  rim  with  a  stout  splint 
inside  and  sweet  grass  outside,  and  then  bind  with  narrow  splint.  The 
handle  is  composed  of  a  heavy  triple  plait  of  sweet  grass,  fastened  to 
the  sides  with  an  ordinary  wood  splint,  the  ends  being-  looped  as 
shown  in  the  figure. 

The  work  basket  of  Fig.  144  is  made  essentially  in  the  same  man- 
ner. The  base,  however,  is  formed  as  shown  in  Fig.  140.  The 
edges  of  the  base  are  made  tight  with  four  or  five  rows  of  simple 
splint  web  weave.  The  spokes  are  then  turned  up  for  the  sides. 
Weave  five  rows  of  finely  plaited  sweet  grass ;  two  of  narrow  splint. 
Then  two  i  i-4-inch  wide  splints,  with  the  third  for  the  curling  and 
wrapping  around  the  plait  of  sweet  grass  as  described  in  the  carry- 
ing basket.  This  is  followed  with  a  splint  5-8-inch  wide,  web  woven, 
the  rim  being  strengthened  and  bound  with  wood  splints. 

The  lid  requires  the  splints  narrow  in  the  center  and  widening  out 
to  the  edges.  When  the  spokes  are  in  place,  fasten  by  six  or  eight 
rows  of  ordinary  web  weaving  with  sweet  grass.  Then  twine  weave 
sweet  grass  for  an  inch  and  a  quarter,  after  which  introduce  the 
broad  splints,  the  thick  plaited  sweet  grass  and  the  curl  as  on  the 
sides.  Then  complete  the  top  of  the  lid  with  six  or  eight  rows  of 
web  weave,  using  thickly  plaited  sweet  grass  for  weaver.  When 
the  lid  is  the  right  size  to  fit  the  basket,  turn  the  spokes  down,  and 
complete  the  weave  with  the  plaited  sweet  grass  until  the  flange  is 
the  size  desired.  Then  strengthen  and  bind  the  edge  as  before  de- 
scribed. 

In  Fig.  13  the  top  basket  is  a  very  pretty  creation  in  plaited  sweet 
grass.  In  both  top  and  bottom  the  foundation  spokes  are  narrow 
in  the  center  widening  towards  the  edge.  They  are  first  woven  in 
web  weave  with  narrow  wood  splint  for  about  ten  rows,  then  com- 
pleted with  plaited  sweet  grass,  the  edge  of  the  lid  being  turned  down, 
woven  with  plaited  sweet  grass,  strengthened  and  bound  as  before 
described. 

In  the  basket  itself,  after  the  turning  up  of  the  sides,  the  weaving 
for  about  an  inch  is  composed  of  plaited  sweet  grass.  Then  three 
i-4-inch  splints  are  woven,  web  weave,  and  the  rim  strengthened  and 
bound  with  simple  wood  splints. 


102 


HOW  TO   MAKE   INDIAN  AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 


The  diagonal  handkerchief  basket  is  composed  of  diagonal  mat 
weave,  the  corners  being  turned  over  and  doubled  and  then  twined 
with  plaited  sweet  grass.  The  lid  is  of  simple  twined  plaited  sweet 
grass,  made  as  the  lid  described  in  Fig.  6. 

Fig.  145  shows  the  top  and  bottom  or  a  basket  and  lid  of  a  splint 
and  plaited  sweet  grass  basket.  The  base  is  formed  as  shown  in 
Fig,  140,  the  edges  being  woven  with  nine  or  ten  rows  of  splint  web 
weave.  The  foundation  spokes  are  then  turned  up  for  the  sides,  and 
the  weaving  done  with  twined  weave,  using  plaited  sweet  grass  for 
weaver.  Strengthen  the  edge  and  bind  as  elsewhere  described. 

For  the  lid  the  splints  must  be  narrow  in  the  center  and  widen- 
ing towards  the  edge.  After  laying  out  the  spokes  the  first  inch  or 


FIG.    147.      MADEIRA      BORDER   NO.    2. 


FIG.    148.      MADEIRA      BORDER    NO.    2. 
PAIRING  FOR   PLAIT. 

so  may  be  simple  web  woven  with  narrow  splints  or  plain  sweet 
grass.  Then  twine  weave  with  plaited  sweet  grass,  until  the  lid  is 
the  right  size,  turn  down  the  foundation  spokes,  finish  the  weave  un- 
til ,the  flange  is  of  the  desired  size,  then  strengthen  edge  and  finish 
off. 

In  Fig.  146  the  square  basket  is  made  of  mat  foundation,  using  1-2- 
inch  wide  splints.  Turn  up  for  the  sides  and  twine  weave  with 
plaited  sweet  grass.  Strengthen  the  rim  with  stout  splint  inside  and 
and  sweet  grass  outside  and  bind  with  narrow  splint. 

The  lid  is  made  as  the  one  in  Fig.  6  and  laced  on  as  there  described. 
The  handle  is  of  heavy  plaited  sweet  grass. 

The  round  basket  has  a  base  as  described  in  Fig.  140  six  or  seven 
rows  of  simple  web  weaving  with  narrow  wood  splint  holding  it  firmly 
together.  Turn  up  sides  and  twine  weave  with  plaited  sweet  grass. 
When  within  an  inch  of  top  web  weave  with  3-4-inch  wide  wood 
splint,  then  strengthen  and  bind  rim  as  elsewhere  described.  The  lid 
is  made  as  the  round  lid  of  Fig.  6. 


HOW  TO   MAKE   INDIAN   AND   OTHER  BASKETS.  IO3 

CHAPTER  XVII. 
FANCY  BORDERS. 


MADEIRA  BORDER  NO.  i.— Allow  four  inches  for  this  border. 
It  is  very  simple,  and  suitable  for  violet  baskets  and  small  candy-bas- 
kets of  various  kinds. 

"To  make  it,  the  spokes  should  all  be  double,  as  it  has  a  much  pret- 
tier effect  when  they  are  so.  It  is  not  necessary,  however,  to  have 
the  spokes  double  throughout  the  basket,  which  may  be  worked  in  the 
ordinary  way  with  single  spokes,  allowing  the  four  inches  for  the 
border,  and  then,  when  the  weaving  is  finished,  inserting  beside  each 
spoke  an  extra  one  of  six  inches,  the  extra  length  being  pushed  into 
the  basket. 

"Treat  all  the  double  spokes  as  one,  and  now  take  one  lot  of  double 
spokes  behind  the  next  lot,  in  front  of  the  next,  and  leave  the  ends  on 
the  outside  of  the  basket. 

"Repeat  this  round,  drawing  all  the  spokes  closely  down  except  the 
first,  which  must  be  left  a  little  loose,  as  the  last  spokes  are  threaded 
through  to  complete  the  border. 

"When  the  last  two  lots  of  double  spokes  are  reached,  proceed  in 
the  same  way — behind  one,  in  front  of  one — only,  the  first  suoke, 
after  being  taken  behind  one,  is  threaded  over  the  next  spoke  which 
is  turned  down,  and  the  last  is  inserted  first  .behind  and  then  in,  front 
of  the  next  two  spokes  already  turned  down. 

To  finish,  the  ends  are  all  cut  off  neatly,  the  further  side  of  the 
spoke  against  which  they  rest." 

MADEIRA  BORDER  NO.  2.— Allow  spokes  of  eight  inches  for 
this  border,  and  use  double  spokes  of  No.  4  rattan  or  triple  ones  of 
No.  I. 

For  the  sake  of  brevity,  although  many  spokes  may  be  used,  they 
will  be  treated  as.  one  in  the  descriptions. 

Be  careful  not  to  draw  the  first  spokes  down  close  to  begin  with; 
they  must  be  left  open,  so  that  when  you  come  to  the  finish  you  have 
room  for  inserting  the  last  spokes. 

"Take  one  spoke  behind  one,  in  front  of  one,  behind  one,  in  front 
of  one,  and  leave  the  end  on  the  outside  of  the  basket  (Fig.  147). 

"Repeat  this  round,  threading  the  last  spokes  through  the  spokes 
already  turned  down,  o<n  the  same  principle  as  for  the  preceeding 
border;  only  in  this  there  will  be  more  to  thread  through.  Do  not 
draw  the  spokes  down  too  closely,  as  the  border  should  be  about  one 
inch  in  depth. 

"When  this  first  part  is  done,  turn  the  basket  upside  down  to  do 
the  plait  around  the  edge.  Take  one  spoke  in  a  close  curve  behind  the 
next  and  bring  the  end  down  against  the  border  (Fig.  148). 

"It  is  necessary  to  keep  this  plait  very  close  to  the  basket,  so  as 
each  spoke  is  brought  round  the  next  it  should  be  held  firmly  in  its 
place  by  the  left  hand,  and  the  hold  should  be  shifted  round  as  each 


104  HOW  TO   MAKE  INDIAN  AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 

spoke  is  used.     Finish  by  threading  the  last  spoke  through  the  loop 
of  the  first. 

"Now  go  round  again,  curving  one  spoke  beneath  the  next  in  the 
same  way,  only  now  the  spokes  curve  round  to  make  the  other  side 
of  plait.  When  the  last  spoke  has  been  threaded  through  the  loop 
of  the  first,  the  plait  is  finished,  and  the  ends  must  be  cut  off  neatly. 
Care  should  be  taken  in  doing  this  that  the  ends  of  the  spokes  are 
left  long  enough  to  go  over  the  next  spoke." 

MADEIRA  BORDER  NO.  3.— Materials  required— "Allow  8 
inches  for  this  border,  and  use  three  spokes  of  No.  2  rattan  together. 
Depth  of  border  without  plait,  11-2  inches. 

'Take  one  spoke  behind  two,  in  front  of  two,  behind  two,  in  front 
of  one,  leaving  the  end  outside  the  basket.  Repeat  this  round  until 
only  seven  upright  spokes  remain. 

"The  first  of  these,  after  going  behind  and  in  front  of  the  next  six 
in  the  usual  way,  will  be  the  first  to  be  taken  behind  the  first  spoke 
turned  down,  the  others  following  in  their  course. 

"Do  the  plait  in  the  same  way  as  for  "Madeira  Border  No.  2." 

MADEIRA  BORDER  NO.  4.— Allow  spokes  of  14  inches,  and 
use  No.  i  rattan.  Use  three  spokes  together.  Depth  of  border  with- 
out plait,  three  inches. 

This  is  a  very  light  and  graceful  border.  It  must  not  be  spread 
out,  therefore  it  is  necessary  to  keep  the  spokes  straight  to  the  top, 
and  then  to  bend  them  to  interlace  with  other  spokes. 

Great  care  is  needed  to  keep  a  nice  straight  edge  round  the  top 
of  the  border.  If  uneven  the  effect  of  the  basket  is  quite  spoilt. 

Take  one  spoke  behind  three  spokes,  in  front  of  two,  behind  two,  in 
front  of  two  and  behind  one,  leaving  the  end  outside  for  the  plait. 

Repeat  this  round,  measuring  occasionally  to  keep  the  border 
of  the  correct  depth. 

Finish  off  with  the  plait  as  described  for  the  preceeding  borders 
This  border  is  worked  o»n  the  outside  of  the  basket." 

MADEIRA  BORDER  NO.  5.— Allow  spokes  of  16  inches  and 
use  No.  4  rattan,  two  spokes  together. 

"Take  one  spoke  behind  three  spokes,  in  front  of  three,  behind 
three,  in  front  of  two,  behind  one,  in  front  of  one,  leaving  the  end 
outside. 

If  the  edge  of  the  border,  behind  three  and  in  front  of  three ;  if 
kept  close  together  it  has  the  effect  of  a  double  ridge  or  twist. 

Finish  off  on  the  same  principle  as  for  the  preceeding  borders,  and 
plait  the  ends. 

This  border  is  worked  on  the  inside." 

CYCLE  BORDER.— Allow  spokes  of  six  inches.  This  border 
is  called  the  "Cycle,"  as  it  is  used  on  the  cycle  baskets;  but  it  is 
very  useful  on  many  other  kinds,  principally  those  which  have  lids, 
as  it  is  flat  outside  and  the  ends  are  all  cut  off  neatly  inside. 

"Take  one  spoke  in  front  of  two  spokes,  behind  one,  in  front  of  two, 
and  push  the  end  well  down  inside. 

This  is  finished  on  the  same  principle  as  the  "Madeira  Borders," 
the  last  spokes  being  threaded  through  the  turned-down  spokes  in 
their  order.  Thus,  when  only  five  upright  spokes  are  left,  the  first 
of  these  will  be  taken  in  front  of  two,  behind  one,  and  then,  to  pass 


HOW  TO   MAKE   INDIAN   AND   OTHER  BASKETS. 


in  front  of  two  again,  it  will  be  taken-  in  front  of  the  last  upright  spoke 
and  the  first  one  turned  down,  and  through  the  loop  of  this  it  must 
be  threaded  to  the  inside ;  all  the  other  spokes  will  then  be  threaded 
through  in  their  places. 

In  starting  this  border,  the  first  spoke  muist  not  be  drawn  close 
dowin  to  the  weaving,  but  room  should  be  left  for  the  end  spokes  to 
be  threaded  through.  After  the  first  two  spokes  have  been  used, 


FIG.   149.     COMMENCING 
FLAT   PLAIT   BORDER. 


FIG.    150.     FLAT    PLAIT 

BORDER— SECOND 
POSITION    OF    SPOKES. 


draw  the  border  down  as  firmly  as  possible,  as  the  closer  the  spokes 
come  together  the  handsomer  the  border  will  look  when  finished. 

When  a  pupil  is  efficient  in  this  border  six  inches  for  spokes  will 
be  sufficient." 

FLAT  PLAIT  BORDER.— Use  for  this  No.  6  or  7  rattan.  Al- 
low spokes  13  inches  long,  but  they  must  not  be  more  than  1-2  inch 
apart. 

"Turn  down  three  spokes  sharply  to  the  outside  of  the  basket  (Fig. 
149). Hold  the  second  and  third  in  the  left  hand,  and  with  the  right 


FIG.   151.     FLAT   PLAIT   IN    PROGRESS, 
WITH   PORTION  OF         FINISHED   BORDER. 


FIG.    152.      FLAT    PLAIT 
BORDER    FINISHED. 


hand  bring  No.  I  spoke  in  a  curve  over  the  other  two,  and  place 
it  between  the  first  two  upright  spokes ;  bring  down  the  first  upright 
epoke  beside  it.  Repeat  this  with  the  second  and  third  spokes ;  then 
there  will  be  three  spokes  inside  and  two  spokes  outside.  Take  the 
first  from  inside,  and  bring  it  down  beside  the  third  spoke  outside 
(Fig.  150).  Be  careful  in  doing  this  not  to  draw  the  spoke  too  tightly 
from  the  outside. 

Now  proceed  to  plait  as  follows :  Take  the  first  spoke  from  outside, 
place  between  the  next  two  upright  spokes,  bring  the  first  spoke  from 
inside  between  the  same  upright  spokes  to  outside,  then  draw  the 
first  upright  spoke  down  beside  it. 

When  the  double  spokes  are  reached  they  must  be  used  together 


io6 


HOW  TO   MAKE  INDIAN   AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 


as  one  spoke,  both  inside  and  outside  the  basket ;  and  when  the  triple 
spokes  are  reached  the  two  longer  ones  must  be  used  together  as  one. 
leaving  the  short  spoke  to  be  cut  off  afterwards.  When  the  last  up- 
right spoke  has  been  turned  down  there  will  be  two  lots  of  double 
spokes  inside  and  three  lots  of  triple  spokes  outside." 

Take  three  twos  out  of  the  three  threes,  and  pass  them  under  the 
three  that  were  first  turned  down. 

This  brings  five  lots  of  double  spokes  to  the  inside  of  the  basket 
(see  Fig.  151).  Take  first  two  lots  and  thread  through  as  shown 
in  Fig.  151.  Then  take  the  longer  one  of  these,  and,  first  threading 
ii  just  through  the  first  single  spoke,  that  it  may  lie  flat  beside  that, 


FIG.  153.     SPLINT  AND  TWINED  BASKETS. 
Work  of  Students,   Teachers'    College,   New  York. 

follow  the  course  of  the  first  single  spoke  under  the  black  spoke  to 
where  it  passes  through  to  the  outside  of  the  basket,  thus  making  it 
double  like  the  others. 

There  are  four  other  double  spokes.,  and  these  must  all  be  treated 
in  the  same  way  as  the  first  double  spoke. 

In  finishing  this  border  the  principle  is  to  make  all  the  single  spokes 
used  in  starting  double  to  agree  with  the  rest  of  the  border.  To  do 
this  the  longer  one  of  each  of  the  double  spokes  inside  the  basket 
is  used  to  follow  out  their  course. 

Take  the  first  double  spokes  from  the  inside  aoid  thread  through 
the  place  shown  in  Fig.  151.  Now  take  the  longer  of  these  and 
thread  one  up  through  .the  single  spoke,  so  that  it  may  lie  flat  beside 
that ;  then  follow  its  course  under  single  spoke  No.  3  and  then  to  the 
outside. 

The  other  four  double  spokes  must  be  used  in  the  same  way  to 
finish  the  border  (which  is  shown  complete  in  Fig.  152). 


HOW  TO   MAKE   INDIAN   AND   OTHER  BASKETS.  IO7 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


A  FEW  BASKETS. 


SPLINT  AND  TWINED  BASKETS.— In  Fi#.  153  are  two 
neatly  made  baskets,  in  which  additional  spokes  are  added  for  base 
and  sides  when  needed.  Start  the  base  as  described  in  Fig.  140. 
Pair  or  twine  weave  with  raffia  six  or  eight  rounds,  then  insert  new 
spokes  and  continue  the  twined  weaving  until  base  is  size  desired. 
Bend  up  spokes  and  proceed  with  the  twined  weaving,  introducing 
bands  of  color  according  to  taste.  Bind  the  top  with  natural  or  col- 
ored raffia  as  shown. 

In  Figs.  154  and  155  are  shown  a  rush,  silk-lined,  Kensington  col- 
lar basket,  a  raffia  collar  box  and  a  splint  basket. 

THE  KENSINGTON  BASKET.  A.  Fig.  154.  This  is  made  of 
rush  or  tule,  though  the  long  leaved  pine  may  be  used.  Procure 
six  yards  of  double  twining  material,  raffia  is  good,  and  six  bunches 
of  tule  or  rush  14  or  15  inches  in  length  and  21  single  lengths  to 
the  bunch.  Tie  these  securely  at  the  middle  and  then  tie  together 
flat  radiating  from  a  center.  See  A.  Fig.  155.  Take  a  twining 
weaver  and  about  an  inch  from  the  center  proceed  to  twine  over 
MX  or  seven  until  a  flat  circle  is  formed  by  bringing  the  twining 
around  to  the  place  of  beginning.  Now  taking  care  to  twine  around 
three  only,  make  a  larger  circle  an  inch  from  the  first  twined  circle. 
Continue  to  twine  a  second  time  round  to  make  the  base  firm  and 
flat.  Now  having  secured  a  firm  base  it  is  desired  to  shape  the  side 
of  basket.  About  an  inch  from  the  outside  circle,  twine  around 
three  rays  until  you  come  around  to  the  pdace  of  beginning.  See 
that  this  twining  is  equidistant  from  the  base,  and  that  the  wall 
slants  outward  from  edge  of  base. 

An  inch  above  this,  twine  around  the  groups  of  three  all  the  way 
round  to  the  last  place  of  beginning,  first  letting  a  group  cross  over 
another  group,  under,  and  to  the  left.  This  gives  a  fancy  effect  and 
affords  a  place  for  decorating  with  ribbon  as  seen  in  the  plate. 

Above  this  about  the  same  spaced  width  a  final  twining  is  made. 
An  extra  twining  or  three  strand  twisting  over  a  coil  gives  ad- 
ditional strength  to  the  edge. 

The  short  ends  of  the  rays  are  finished  bending  a  first  group  of 
three  over  a  group  to  the  left  under  the  next  group.  And  so  on  in 
succession  until  the  edge  is  finished. 

Then  line  with  fancy  silk  or  other  material. 

Examples  of  this  twined  weave  are  shown  in  Figs.  133,  136,  137, 
Indian  Basketry,  and  in  Figs.  156  and  157  herewith. 

COLLAR  BOX.— Fig.  1546.— To  make  this  knotted  stitch  bas- 
ket take  a  length  of  No.  7  flat  rattan.  Form  a  loop,  at  one  end,  the 
desired  diameter  or  oval  of  the  basket.  Tie  together  with  weaver 
of  raffia.  Then  begin  the  knot  stitch,  spirally  coiling  the  flat  rat- 


HOW  TO   MAKE   INDIAN   AND   OTHER  BASKETS.  109 

tan*  as  the  weaving  progresses.  Bring  the  edges  of  the  rattan  as  close 
together  as  possible.  Take  the  raffia  over  two  bands  of  the  rattan. 
Then  make  a  "button-hole"  stitch  and,  over  two  again,  then  the 
button-hole  loop  again,  knotting  carefully  and  tightly.  When  once 
round  see  that  the  next  stitch  goes  between  the  stitches  already  on 
the  first  part  of  the  work.  Continue  sewing  until  all  of  cane  is  used 
and  finish  with  double  button-hole  stitch.  The  bottom  is  made  by 
stringing  web  strands  from  end  to  end  and  holding  them  in  place 
by  woof  strands  placed  an  inch  apart.  Overcast  the  two  woof  strands 
together  to  hold  them  taut. 

The  cover  to  the  box  is  a  button-holed  band  of  flat  rattan  with  a 
woven  top  made  by  stringing  web  strands  of  raffia  one  way  and 
weaving  closely  across  the  web  with  raffia. 

THE  ASH  SPLINT  BASKET.  Fig.  1540.— Take  eight  yards 
narrow  splint,  green  and  white;  four  yards  I -4-inch  green  splint; 
1 8  3-8-inch  wide  splints,  20  inches  long  and  two  yards  3-8-inch  white 
splint. 

Make  base  as  shown  in  Fig.  140,  fastening  spokes  in  place  with 
raffia  or  fine  splint. 

Then  make  another  base  same  size  as  the  first  and  place  it  above 
the  first,  letting  the  rays  of  the  lower  mat  come  between  the  rays 
of  the  upper  mat.  Twine  the  two  together  with  a  stout  strip  of  ash 
splint  very  narrow.  Now  take  two  of  the  I -8-inch  weavers  (a  green 
and  a  white),  and,  securing  the  ends,  weave  over  one,  under  one,  fill- 
ing a  wall  one  inch  high.  Spread  the  spokes  of  the  basket  on  a 
flat  surface,  bottom  up,  and  weave  in  more  of  the  narrow  splint  for 
about  one  and  a  half  inches.  Now  carefully  secure  the  ends  of  the 
weavers.  Take  up  the  basket  and  place  it  before  you  right  side  up. 
Bend  all  the  spokes  upward  from  the  salver-like  rim.  (The  splints 
should  always  be  moist  when  bending  is  done).  Take  a  wide  length 
of  ash  the  same  width  as  spoke  and  weave  in  over  one  under  one  for 
the  beginning  of  final  wall.  Use  three  broad  bands  in  this  way  and 
then  finish  off  with  six  rows  of  two  colored  twining.  The  final 
weaver  to  be  a  broad  length  of  splint. 

Fold  over  the  outer  spokes  and  tuck  under  twinings  on  the  inside 
to  keep  them  in  place.  Cut  off  the  alternate  rays  even  with  top  of 
basket. 

Ornament  with  narrower  bands  of  colored  splint  by  overlaying  the 
broad  bands. 

The  two-toned  effect  shown  in  the  plate  was  made  by  running  green 
spokes  on  the  upper  base  before  twining. 

The  ornamental  banding  is  made  by  slipping  the  colored  ray  back 
of  and  over  weave  and  slipping  the  end  again  in  place  along  its  un- 
derlying spoke.  See  Fig.  154. 

The  edgeing  rim  around  the  bottom  is  an  over  and  over  weaving 
around  the  edge  of  the  base  two  times  round,  with  a  fourth  inch 
strap  of  darker  splint. 

After  cutting  away  the  holding  bands  of  raffia  or  cord  and  model- 
ing the  basket  may  be  considered  finished.  But  if  used  for  sewing  a 
lining  of  silk  may  add  to  its  value. 

DIAGONAL  MAT  BASKETRY.— In  an  earlier  chapter  this 
branch  of  weaving  was  fully  presented.  A  very  common  and  useful 


no 


HOW  TO   MAKE  INDIAN   AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 


pair  of  objects  which  may  as  well  be  home  woven  as  bought  are  pic- 
tured in  Fig.  158.  These  are 

WRISTLETS  OR  CUFF  PROTECTORS.— These  may  be  made 
of  tule,  of  palmetto  or  any  flat  and  reasonably  firm  material.  Pro- 
ceed as  in  ordinary  diagonal  weave.  The  top  border  is  made  with  a 
double  fold. 

On  page  65  "Indian  Basketry,"  Fig.  60  is  a  Hopi  Yucca  Basket 
made  on  this  diagonal  mat  weave,  as  is  also  the  large  basket  to  the 
left  on  page  83.  Fig.  107,  page  108,  shows  a  Hopi  weaver  at  work  on 
this  weave. 

On  page  120  "Indian  Basketry,"  Fig.  124,  is  shown  a  Pueblo  In- 
dian mat.  Using  this  as  a  pattern  a  little  care  will  enable  the  student 
to  make  one  similar  to  it.  The  main  portion  is  of  simple  mat  con- 
struction over  two  and  under  two.  Then  about  twenty  rows  of  web 
weaving,  the  outer  edge  being  bound,  completes  the  mat. 

TOY  CHAIR. — On  an  earlier  page  (Fig.  27),  a  toy  chair  is  pic- 


FIG.  156.     SURFACE  EFFECTS 
OF    TWINED    OPEN    WORK. 


FIG.    io7.      CROSSED    WARP 
TWINED    WEAVING. 


tured.  This  dainty  and  pretty  little  toy,  which  is  also  a  useful  adjunct 
to  a  toilet  table  as  a  ring  holder,  can  easily  be  imade  with  a  little 
patience.  Materials  are,  two  lengths  of  No.  4  rattan  for  front  legs, 
2,y2  inches  long.  Rear  legs  and  back  are  made  from  one  piece,  about 
13  inches  long,  soaked  and  bent  into  desired  shape.  Insertion  for  back 
is  piece  of  No.  I  rattan,  6^4  inches  long. 

Make  two  rings,  one  2^  inches  in  diameter,  the  other  2  inches. 
Cut  four  pieces  of  rattan,  same  size,  and  nail  the  two  rings  together. 
It  should  not  be  forgotten  that  in  making  the  rings  the  joints  should 
be  spliced  perfectly,  as  shown  in  Fig.  104.  Now  wrap  the  two  rings 
with  raffia  (Fig.  27).  Tack  legs  and  back  to  the  rings.  The  bottom 
is  made  of  a  ring,  cross-wrapped  with  raffia  so  as  to  fit  perfectly,  and 
then  tacked  or  sewed  in. 

THE  MAGAZINE  HOLDER,  Figs.  28  and  29,  is  made  as  follows : 
Detail  of  Magazine  Holder — I.  Main  frame  22  inches  long,  2  pieces; 
2.  Center  frame,  one  piece,  20  inches  long;  3.  Bottom  brace  for  main 
and  center  frames,  two  pieces,  2^4  inches  long;  4.  Bottom  brace  for 
side  frame,  two  pieces,  6^  inches  long;  5.  Wooden  base,  made  from 


HOW  TO   MAKE   INDIAN   AND   OTHER  BASKETS. 


Ill 


old  box  lid,  7  inches  long,  3  inches  broad.  In  the  middle  of  each  end 
saw  out  a  hole  large  enough  to  allow  center  frame  to  rest  snugly 
within.  6.  Bottom  brace  for  center  frame,  one  piece,  6^  inches  long; 
7.  Wire  scroll,  wrapped  with  twisted  raffia,  four  pieces ;  8.  Ornamented 
frame  for  main  frame,  made  as  follows :  Take  two  pieces  of  rattan 
6^8  long  and  two  pieces  1^4  inches  long.  Tack  the  long  pieces  to 
the  ends  of  the  short  pieces  and  thus  make  a  frame — make  two  of 
these.  Then  wrap  them  with  strands  of  raffia,  tying  them  in  the  center, 


FIG.    158.      WRISTLETS    OR    CUFF    PROTECTORS. 

as  shown.  9.  Brace  for  ends,  two  pieces,  split  thick  cane  or  rattan, 
3*4  inches  long.  10.  Handle,  one  piece,  No.  5  rattan,  14  inches  long. 

Thoroughly  soak  Nos.  i,  2.  Bend  into  shape  required.  Then  wrap 
with  wide  raffia,  Nos.  i,  2,  4,  9  and  10. 

To  put  together.  Tack  6  to  5 ;  tack  the  ends  of  10  to  6;  put  2  into 
end  holes  of  5,  with  ends  below  wood  an  inch  and  a  quarter.  Tack 
at  holes  to  5.  Tack  10  to  points  where  they  cross  2.  Tack  8  to  I,  for 
both  sides,  also  4  to  i.  Tack  4  to  5.  Tack  9  to  5.  Tack  3  to  i  and  2, 
then  wrap  with  raffia,  binding  3  at  both  ends  to  i.  The  wire  scrolls 
may  now  be  sewed  in  with  raffia,  or  tacked  through  the  raffia  to  the 
rattan  or  wood  of  the  frame.  This  latter  method,  however,  is  not  wise, 
as  the  tack  soon  pulls  out  from  the  raffia.  It  is  better  sewed. 

FLUTED  FLOWER  BASKET— Get  14  pieces  of  No.  8  rattan, 
6  inches  long;  56  of  No.  2  green  rattan,  21  inches  long;  56  of  No.  2 
green  rattan,  19  inches;  32  of  No.  2  green  rattan,  16  inches;  112  of 
No.  2  green  rattan,  15  inches;  2  pieces  No.  16,  48  inches. 

With  the  fourteen  pieces  No.  8  rattan  make  an  ordinary  round 
base  with  an  even  number  of  spokes  measuring  5  inches  across. 


112  HOW  TO   MAKE   INDIAN   AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 

Cut  off  the  ends  of  the  spokes  and  insert  the  fifty-six  spokes  of  No. 
2  green  rattan,  21  inches,  placing  one  spoke  on  either  side  of  the  one 
spoke  in  base.  Turn  the  spokes  upright.  Now  do  three  rows  of 
triple  twist  with  No.  2  white  cane.  Then  twenty-nine  rows  of  plain 
weaving. 

Now  insert  the  fifty-six  spokes  of  19  inches,  placing  two  beside 
each  two,  and  pushing  them  right  down  to  the  base  of  the  basket  (Fig. 


FIG.   159.     BASKETS   FROM  THE   PHILIPPINES. 

164).  Pair  round  once,  dividing  all  the  spokes  into  twos,  excepting 
four  lots  of  four  spokes,  which  remain  undivided. 

These  four  spokes  are  at  equal  distances  round  the  basket.  Take 
the  center  spoke  of  each  group  of  seven  in  the  base,  and  you  will  get 
the  right  spokes  at  the  side. 

Between  each  of  these  lots  of  four  spokes  there  will  be  twelve 
double  spokes.  The  four  spokes  must  be  left  upright,  but  the  twelve 


FIG.   164.     SECTION  OF  FLUTED   FLOWER  BASKET. 
TURNING    DOWN    SPOKES. 

must  be  bent  down  to  the  outside  of  the  basket  to  form  the  curve,  press- 
ing them  down  most  sharply  in  the  center  of  each  twelve  (Fig.  165). 
When  this  has  been  done  do  nine  rows  of  plain  weaving. 

Border — Insert  the  thirty-two  spokes  of  16  inches,  placing  two 
beside  the  next  lots  of  two  spokes  on  either  side  of  the  four  undivided 
spokes,  so  that  each  curve  has  four  lots  of  double  spokes  added  to  it. 


HOW  TO   MAKE   INDIAN   AND   OTHER  BASKETS. 


Pair  round  once  to  divide  into  twos,  still  keeping  the  central  side 
spokes  undivided.     Do  eight  rows  of  weaving.     Insert  the  112  spokes 


FIG.   165. 


SECTION   OF  FLU'-iED  FLOWER   BASKET. 
CURVE   PARTLY   WORKED. 


of  green  rattan,  placing  two  beside  each  two  round  the  basket.     Pair 
round  once,  dividing  all  the  spokes  into  two,  in   readiness   for  the 


FIG.  166.  FLUTED  FLOWER  BASKET. 


FIG.  167.   STARTING  SQUARE 
WORK  BASKET.  TURNING 

WEAVER  ROUND 

CORNER  SPOKES. 


border,  the  depth  of  which  is  3^2  inches.     (All  the  pairs  of  spokes  are 
used  together  as  one,  and  for  the  sake  of  brevity  will  be  spoken  of  as 


HOW  TO   MAKE  INDIAN  AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 


one.)  Take  one  piece  in  front  of  three  spokes,  behind  two,  in  front 
of  two,  behind  one,  in  front  of  one,  and  leave  behind.  Repeat  this 
round.  This  border  is  worked  on  top  of  the  basket,  the  spokes  being 
curved  from  left  to  right.  • 

x  Now  turn  the  basket  upside  down  and  pair  round  once,  taking  two 
lots  of  double  spokes  together  each  time,  and  keeping  the  row  of  pair- 
ing even  with  the  edge  of  the  weaving. 

When  this  is  done  plait  round  as  described  for  "Madeira  Borders," 
using  four  spokes  together  to  plait  with. 

Handle — Sharpen  the  ends  of  the  two  pieces  of  No.  16  rattan  and 


FIG.  168.  SQUARE  WORK 
BASKET,  WOOD  BASE. 


FIG.  169.  STARTING  LID 
OF  SQUARE  BASKET. 


push  two  ends  down  beside  one  lot  of  four  spokes  on  the  inside  of  the 
basket.  Twist  the  two  pieces  of  rattan  round  each  other,  and  push 
the  ends  into  the  basket  at  the  opposite  side. 

Take  two  pieces  of  No.  2  rattan,  thread  both  ends  from  inside  round 
the  handle  cane  just  below  the  border,  draw  the  four  ends  to  equal 
lengths  and  twist  round  the  handle  to  the  opposite  side ;  thread  through 
to  the  outside  two  pieces  on  either  side  of  the  handle  cane,  cross  these, 
and  weave  a  short  way  round  the  basket  (Fig.  166). 

SQUARE  WORK  BASKET  WITH  WOODEN  BASE— Mate- 
rials Required — A  square  wooden  base,  7^2  inches  across.  Forty-four 


FIG    170.     TURNING  WEAVER 
AROUND   LAST   SPOKE. 


FIG.  171.     DETAIL  OF 
TWISTED  HANDLE. 


spokes  of  No.  6  rattan,  13  inches;  nineteen  spokes  of  No.  6  rattan,  16 
inches;  four  spokes  of  No.  13  rattan,  4  inches;  two  pieces  of  No.  13 
rattan,  12  inches;  one  piece  of  No.  13  rattan,  7  inches;  twenty-nine 
spokes,  1 6  inches,  for  the  lid. 

Insert  the  forty-four  spokes  through  the  holes  in  the  wooden  base, 
leaving  2^  inches  below. 

Do  the  border  in  front  of  one,  behind  one,  in  front  of  one,  leaving 
end  inside.  All  this  must  be  worked  underneath  the  wooden  base.  In 
doing  this,  start  the  border  when  about  six  spokes  have  been  inserted, 
and  then  continue  the  work  round,  putting  in  a  few  spokes  at  a  time. 


HOW  TO   MAKE   INDIAN  AND   OTHER  BASKETS.  115 

Turn  the  base  up,  and  place  the  long  spokes  into  position. 

Do  three  rows  of  triple  twist,  and  then  place  a  piece  of  No.  13 
rattan  (4  inches),  in  each  corner,  beside  the  corner  spoke.  The  two 
must  be  used  together  as  one.  Do  four  rows  of  single  weaving. 

When  the  round  weave  goes  behind  the  double  corner  spokes  it 
must  be  taken  round  them  again;  but  when  the  weave  comes  on  the 
outside,  this  is  not  necessary  (Figs.  167  and  168). 

Do  one  row  of  flat  colored  rattan.  (This  cannot  be  twisted  round 
corners.)  Do  two  rows  of  plain  weaving;  one  row  of  triple  twist; 
six  rows  of  flat  colored  rattan;  one  row  of  triple  twist;  two  rows  of 
plain  weaving;  one  row  of  flat  colored;  and  four  rows  of  single 
weaving. 

Border — "Cycle"  Border.  In  front  of  two  spokes,  behind  one,  in 
front  of  one,  leaving  end  inside. 

With  the  ends  do  the  plait  in  the  same  way  as  explained  for  "Made- 
ira Borders." 

To  make  this  basket  of  a  good  shape  it  is  necessary  to  keep  an  equal 
distance  between  each  spoke;  the  corner  spokes  should  be  pulled  out- 
wards, while  those  on  either  side  are  pushed  in. 

The  piece  of  No.  13  rattan  at  each  corner  must  be  cut  evenly  with 
the  weaving  before  the  border  is  done. 

The  two  pieces  of  No.  13  rattan  (12  inches)  can  now  be  inserted 
for  handles. 

Sharpen  the  ends  and  push  them  into  the  basket  beside  the  fourth 
spokes  (counting  from  either  end)  and  at  the  second  row  of  triple 
twist.  Take  a  piece  of  No.  2  cane,  thread  round  the  handle  cane  just 
below  the  triple  twist,  place  a  piece  of  flat  colored  cane  over  the  top 
of  the  handle,  and  then  twist  the  ends  of  the  No.  2  cane  round  it,  with 
spaces  of  about  y2  inch  between  each  twist.  To  finish,  thread  the  ends 
through  to  the  inside,  cross  them,  and  weave  a  few  inches  on  either 
side. 

Lid — Twenty-nine  spokes,  16  inches. 

If  correctly  worked  this  basket  should  measure  8  inches  across ;  the 
lid,  therefore,  will  be  7^  inches,  as  it  fits  inside  the  basket,  resting  on 
the  plaited  border  there  (it  is  shown  in  Fig.  168). 

Allowing  y2  inch  on  either  side  for  the  border  round  it,  this  brings 
the  measurement  of  the  center  square  of  lid  to  6l/2  inches. 

Take  two  spokes  of  16  inches  and  place  flat  on  the  table  together; 
fold  a  strand  of  No.  2  cane  and  put  the  loop  over  the  spokes  4l/2  inches 
from  the  nearest  ends  (Fig.  24). 

Place  another  spoke  flat  on  the  table  about  y2  inch  further  on  and 
pair  round.  Continue  to  place  the  spokes  and  pair  them,  keeping  them 
in  their  places  with  the  left  hand,  until  a  piece  is  done  measuring  6*4 
inches  (fifteen  spokes),  the  last  spokes  being  double  (Fig.  25). 

Turn  this  over  from  right  to  left,  so  that  when  flat  on  the  table  the 
weaving  will  continue  from  the  left  hand  side,  and  the  shorter  end  of 
the  spokes  will  still  point  towards  the  work. 

Take  the  two  weaves  round  the  double  spokes  at  the  end,  one  going 
under  and  the  other  over,  and  then  do  another  row  of  pairing,  keeping 
it  in  a  straight  line.  When  the  other  end  is  reached  turn  it  over  as 
before,  and,  leaving  one  weave  out  (leave  an  end  of  about  i  inch), 
bring  the  other  back,  and  weave  across  the  spokes;  turn  it  over  and 


Il6  HOW  TO   MAKE  INDIAN   AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 

weave  back  again.    Every  second  row  of  weaving  must  be  taken  twice 
round  the  double  spokes  at  the  ends. 

When  two  outside  rows  of  plain  weaving  have  been  done  (counting 
in' the  ordinary  way  the  number  of  times  one  weaver  crosses  the  same 
spoke),  the  first  side  spoke  must  be  woven  in. 

Take  a  spoke  of  16  inches  and,  leaving  an  end  of  4^  inches,  weave 
down  in  place  of  the  weaver;  then  take  the  weaver  over  or  under  the 
spoke  and  weave  down  the  side. 

Do  two  rows  of  single  weaving  with  one  piece  of  flat  cane,  leav- 
ing about  */2  inch  over  at  either  end.  Insert  one  spoke  by  weaving  it  in 
in  the  ordinary  way;  four  rows  of  weaving,  one  spoke;  repeat;  one 
piece  flat  green ;  two  rows  weaving ;  one  spoke ;  four  plain  weaving ; 
one  spoke ;  four  weaving,  one  spoke ;  two  weaving,  one  flat ;  two  weav- 
ing, one  spoke;  four  weaving,  one  spoke;  four  weaving,  one  spoke; 
two  weaving,  one  flat,  one  spoke ;  four  weaving,  one  spoke,  one  flat ; 
two  weaving,  one  spoke ;  two  weaving,  two  pairing. 

Now  weave  in  a  spoke  at  either  side  next  to  the  pairing,  then  do 
two  rows  of  pairing  round  the  lid,  catching  in  the  ends  of  the  flat  cane 
with  the  spokes  to  which  they  are  nearest,  and  dividing  the  double 
spokes  at  each  corner.  This  pairing  must  be  kept  as  close  as  possible 
to  the  weaving,  or  the  lid  will  have  a  very  untidy  appearance. 

Border — In  front  of  two,  behind  one,  in  front  of  one. 

Handle  (on  top) — One  piece  of  No.  13  rattan,  7  inches. 

Get  the  center  of  the  lid,  and  with  a  piece  of  wire  secure  one  end 
of  the  rattan  against  the  third  and  fourth  spokes,  counting  from  the 
side. 

Bend  the  rattan  in  a  half-circle,  and  secure  the  other  end  in  the  same 
manner  on  the  opposite  side.  Place  a  piece  of  colored  rattan  over  the 
top  of  it,  and  twist  the  strand  of  No.  2  rattan  round  it  in  the  same  way 
as  the  side  handles;  sew  the  lid  on  with  flat  cane  at  the  back,  and  in 
front  just  in  the  center  and  directly  under  the  border  of  the  basket, 
form  a  loop  by  threading  a  weaver  around  a  few  rows  of  the  weaving ; 
take  the  ends  inside  the  basket,  cross  them,  and  weave  each  end  a  short 
way  round  the  basket.  Bind  the  loop  with  flat  cane,  make  another 
loop  to  catch  over  the  first;  bind  this  also  with  fine  flat  cane,  and  a 
short  piece  of  No.  13  rattan  tied  to  the  side  of  the  basket,  to  slip 
through  the  under  loop,  will  fasten  it  securely. 

BASKET  WITH  TWISTED  HANDLE  HAVING  INTER- 
LACED ENDS— Miss  White  thus  describes  the  method  of  making 
this  basket.  Materials  for  Basket — Eight  2O-inch  spokes  of  No.  4 
rattan,  one  n-inch  of  No.  4  rattan,  six  weavers  of  No.  2  rattan.  For 
handle,  one  length  No.  4  rattan. 

A  bottom  is  woven  2^4  inches  in  diameter,  on  eight  and  a  half 
2O-inch  spokes,  which  are  then  thoroughly  wet  and  bent  upward  with 
a  slight  flare.  When  two  weavers  have  been  used,  the  spokes  are  flared 
more  decidedly,  and  when  two  more  have  been  woven  in  this  way, 
the  spokes  are  drawn  in  while  using  the  remaining  two  weavers.  The 
edge  is  then  bound  off  and  finished  with  the  simple  border  described 
in  the  directions  for  a  basket  with  a  twisted  handle  in  the  first  part  of 
the  chapter. 

Handle — A  length  of  No.  4  rattan  which  has  been  soaked  until 
pliable  is  cut  into  four  pieces  and  then  separated  into  pairs.  These 
are  bent  into  loops  at  about  ten  inches  from  one  end  of  each  and 


HOW  TO   MAKE  INDIAN  AND   OTHER  BASKETS. 


knotted  in  this  way.  The  loops  are  held  firmly  where  the  short  end  of 
each  comes  against  the  long  end  (making  sure  that  the  short  ends  are 
on  the  same  sides  of  the  loops),  one  in  each  hand  of  the  worker,  who 
passes  one  loop  through  the  other,  bringing  the  ends  of  the  loop  through 
which  it  passed  over  it,  which  makes  the  loop  uppermost  on  one  end 
of  the  knot  and  on  the  other  the  ends,  see  Fig.  171.  The  short  ends 
are  now  crossed  one  under  a  long  end  and  one  over  (as  shown  in  Fig. 
171),  and  brought  together.  The  long  ends  are  also  brought  together 
making  a  knot  like  Fig.  172.  This  knot  is  placed  about  half  way  be- 
tween the  top  and  bottom  of  the  basket,  with  the  long  ends  turning  up. 


FIG.  172.     DETAIL  OF 
TWISTED  HANDLE. 


FIG.  173.     OBLONG  CARRYING  BASKET. 


T 


FIG.  174.   COMMENCING 

HANDLE  OF 
KEY  BASKET. 


FIG.  175.  BINDING  HANDLE 
OF  KEY  BASKET 
COMMENCING. 


The  short  ends  are  finished  off  by  weaving  one  to  the  right  over  and 
under  several  spokes  and  the  other  to  the  left.  The  long  ends  are 
twisted  together  for  about  twelve  inches,  and  are  then  made  into 
another  knot  copied  from  the  first  one,  for,  although  the  process  cannot 
be  the  same,  it  is  so  simple  that  one  can  easily  follow  its  coils.  This 
knot  is  placed  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  basket  from  the  first  one  and 
attached  in  the  same  way. 

OBLONG  CARRYING  BASKET— Materials  required— five 
spokes  of  No.  8  rattan,  18  inches ;  nineteen  spokes  of  No.  8  rattan,  7 
inches;  fifty  spokes  of  No.  8  rattan,  18^  inches;  weave  with  Nos.  I, 
3  and  40  flat. 

Make  an  ordinary  base,  nineteen  spokes  across  five,  measuring  16 
by  6  inches.  Use  No.  2  rattan.  Insert  the  fifty  side  spokes,  putting 
one  on  either  side  of  the  five  long  spokes  at  each  end. 


Il8  HOW  TO   MAKE  INDIAN  AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 

Turn  up  and  do  three  rows  of  twist  No.  3  rattan ;  thirteen  rows  of 
plain  weaving;  eight  rows  of  flat  rattan  (colored)  and  round  rattan 
alternately ;  twelve  rows  of  plain  weaving ;  one  row  of  pairing. 

v  Border — "Loop,"  2  inches  high.    See  Fig.  102. 

Handle — Length  of  handle  according  to  taste.  Put  on  in  the  same 
way  as  described  for  the  "Key  Basket,"  the  result  being  shown  in  Fig. 

173- 
KEY    BASKET— Materials    required— Spokes   of   No.    3    rattan, 

colored  and  white.  Oblong  wooden  base.  Thirty-six  spokes  of  No.  3 
rattan,  n  inches.  Two  pieces  of  No.  13  rattan,  16  inches.  Weave 
with  No.  i  rattan,  colored,  and  forty  flat. 

Put  the  thirty-six  spokes  through  the  holes  in  the  wooden  base, 
leaving  3  inches  below  for  the  foot,  and  tie  the  longer  ends  together. 
Round  the  foot  do  four  rows  of  plain  weaving  and  border,  behind  one, 
in  front  of  one ;  leave  the  end  inside  to  be  cut  off  afterwards. 

Now  turn  the  basket  up  and  do  two  rows  of  triple  twist  and  twenty- 


FIG.  177.     SHALLOW     OVAL  BASKET. 


FIG.  176.    BINDING  HANDLE 
OF  KEY  BASKET 
FINISHING. 

two  rows  of  weaving,  using  one  white  and  one  colored  weaver  alter- 
nately. 

In  making  this  basket  great  care  is  necessary  to  get  it  a  nice  shape 
with  a  sharp  angle  at  each  corner.  In  order  to  do  this  keep  the  corner 
spoke  pulled  outward  and  press  the  one  on  either  side  well  in. 

Also  be  careful  to  keep  an  even  distance  between  each  spoke.  If 
this  is  not  done,  and  the  spokes  are  drawn  together  in  some  parts,  or 
allowed  to  get  wider  in  others,  the  basket  will  become  uneven,  and 
the  shape  will  be  spoilt. 

Handle — Insert  the  two  pieces  of  No.  13  rattan,  one  piece  on  either 
side  of  the  center  spoke  in  the  side  (as  shown  in  Fig.  174),  carry  over 
the  basket,  and  insert  in  the  same  way  on  the  opposite  side. 

Get  a  long  strand  of  No.  40  flat  rattan,  and  begin  by  threading  one 
end  from  the  inside  to  the  outside  beside  the  handle  cane  and  just  be- 
neath the  border.  Pull  the  end  out  until  it  is  long  enough  to  be 
carried  on  top  of  the  handle  to  the  opposite  side  and  4  inches  over. 

Cross  it  on  the  outside  (as  in  Fig.  175),  take  it  over  the  handles 
to  the  opposite  side,  and  repeat  the  cross  on  the  outside ;  leave  the  end 
sticking  up  against  the  handle  cane. 

Now  with  the  long  end  of  rattan  bind  neatly  round  the  handle  and 
flat  rattan  together,  keeping  one  round  of  rattan  just  meeting  the  next, 
and  winding  tightly. 


HOW  TO   MAKE  INDIAN  AND  OTHER  BASKETS.  119 

When  the  handle  has  been  bound  round  as  close  to  the  border  as 
it  can  be,  cut  the  flat  rattan,  leaving  an  end  of  3  inches. 

Without  unwinding  any  of  the  rattan,  loosen  it  by  twisting  it  round 
in  the  opposite  way  to  that  in  which  it  was  wound.  When  loose  enough 
for  about  six  rings  up,  push  the  end  up  and  pull  out  between  the 
rings  (Fig.  176).  Twist  the  rattan  back  again,  and  pull  the  end  of 
it  until  quite  tight;  then  cut  off  neatly. 

SHALLOW  OVAL  BASKET— Materials  required— Willow 
spokes  the  thickness  of  a  slate  pencil.  Rattan  may  be  substituted.  Of 


FIG.   ITS.     INSIDE  VIEW. 
STARTING   HANDLE 
OF  OVAL  BASKET. 


FIG.   179.     OUTSIDE  VIEW. 


these  take  five  of  19  inches,  thirteen  of  13  inches  and  fourteen  of 
inches  long.    Then  ninety-four  of  No.  7  rattan,  19  inches,  three  of  No. 
1 6  rattan,  30  inches.    Weave  with  3,  4,  6,  16  and  40  flat  rattan. 

Split  the  thirteen  willows  in  the  center  and  thread  onto  the  five 
of  19  inches.  Weave  like  an  ordinary  oval  base  until  twenty  rows  of 
weaving  with  No.  3  rattan  have  been  done. 

Add  the  fourteen  spokes,  seven  at  either  end,  placing  one  beside 
each  of  the  five  long  spokes  and  the  first  of  the  double  side  spokes. 


FIG.  180.     BINDING  HANDLE 
OF  OVAL  BASKET. 


FIG.  181.     FINISHING  HANDLE 
OF  OVAL  BASKET. 


Now  do  two  rows  of  triple  twist  to  divide  the  spokes  with  No.  4 
rattan,  and  continue  weaving  until  the  base  measures  18  by  12  inches. 

Cut  off  the  ends  of  the  spokes,  and  insert  the  ninety-four  spokes 
of  No.  7  rattan,  one  on  either  side  of  each  spoke,  except  the  center  one 
at  each  side.  Turn  up  sharply  and  do  two  rows  of  triple  twist,  taking 
each  spoke  singly.  Do  seven  rows  of  single  weaving;  three  rows 
(straight  round)  of  flat  rattan;  and  six  rows  of  weaving. 

Border— "Flat  Plait."    See  Figs.  149  to  152. 

Handle — Place  one  piece  of  No.  16  rattan  down  beside  the  center 
side  spoke  and  one  piece  beside  the  first  spoke  on  either  side;  repeat 
on  the  opposite  side.  Thread  a  piece  of  No.  40  flat  round  the  center 
handle  rattan  from  the  inside  just  below  the  border. 

Leave  one  end  several  inches  long,  and  with  the  other  weave  to 


120 


HOW  TO   MAKE  INDIAN  AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 


and  fro  between  the  three  spokes  until  eighteen  rows  cross  the  center 
one  (Figs.  178  and  179).  In  doing  this  the  short  end  must  be  caught 
in  beside  one  of  the  handle  canes. 

xNow  continue  to  bind  over  the  top  of  the  handle  (Fig.  180),  taking 


FIG.  182.     FINISHING 

OFF  THE  FLAT 
RATTAN  IN  BINDING 
A  HANDLE. 


FIG.  183.    WASTE  PAPER  BASKET 

all  three  canes  together  until  within  6  inches  of  the  border,  when  the 
weaving  is  continued  as  in  Fig.  181. 

When  the  border  is  reached,  the  end  of  the  flat  rattan  must    be 


FIG.  184.     SQUARE  BASKET.      vVEAVING  SIDES. 


FIG.   185.      SECTION   SQUARE 

BASKET    WITH 
STRAIGHT    CORNER. 


threaded  round  the  center  handle  rattan  just  beneath  it,  and  the  end 
pushed  up  against  one  of  the  canes  and  then  cut  off  (Fig.  182). 

Fig.  176  shows  how  the  handle  ought  to  look  when  finished. 

WASTE  PAPER  BASKET— Materials  required— Twelve  spokes 


HOW  TO   MAKE   INDIAN   AND   OTHER  BASKETS. 


121 


of  No.  13  rattan,  12  inches;  forty-eight  spokes  No.  7,  27  inches.    Weave 
with  Nos.  o,  i  and  2  rattan. 

Weave  the  base  in  the  ordinary  way  (see  Figs.  125  to  129),  until  it 
is  9  inches  across.  Then  insert  the  forty-eight  spokes  as  usual,  and 
turn  them  up;  after  so  doing  weave  ten  rows  of  triple  twist  and  six 
rounds  of  two  colors  to  make  the  check  pattern  (Fig.  183).  Work 
until  you  have  three  checks :  one  row  of  triple  twist ;  twenty-two  rows 
of  plain  weaving ;  one  round  of  triple  twist.  Now  do  your  check  pat- 
tern again — ten  rounds  of  triple  twist.  Finish  with  plaited  border 

(Hg-  183). 

The  handles  can  be  put  on  at  discretion. 

SQUARE  WORK  BASKET  WITH  WOODEN  BASE— Ma- 
terials Required — One  board  for  base,  6  inches  square;  38  spokes 
of  No.  6  rattan,  16  inches,  2  spokes  No.  6,  10  inches ;  2  spokes  of  No. 
6,  6  inches.  For  handle,  22  inches  No.  16  rattan. 

Insert  the  handle  in  holes  made  for  it  in  the  wooden  base,  and  at 


FIG.  187.     METHOD  OP    HOLDING 
BASKET  WHEN  WEAVING   SIDES. 


Trm 


FIG.   186.     PLAITED   HANDLE. 


il/2  inches  from  each  end  make  a  sharp  bend.  Insert  spokes  for  sides 
in  wooden  base,  leaving  6  inches  below  the  wood.  Above  the  wooden 
base  weave  one  row  of  rope  twist,  counting  the  handles  as  spokes.  For 
this  4  lengths  of  No.  I  rattan,  two  of  36  inches  (to  be  cut  off  when  the 
twist  is  finished)  and  two  longer,  will  be  needed.  Start  the  weavers  on 
a  side  of  the  base  which  has  not  a  handle  through  it.  The  two  longest 
are  carried  on  for  a  row  of  pairing,  after  which  turn  the  base  upside 
down  and  finish  the  foot  before  proceeding  with  the  sides.  Weave 
singly  (see  Fig.  20)  with  two  weavers,  the  number  of  spokes  being 
even,  taking  each  weaver  three  times  around,  six  times  in  all.  The 
handle  must  be  still  counted  as  a  spoke.  Bend  spokes  outward  and 
continue  weaving  for  eight  more  double  rows,  sloping  the  foot  to  taste. 
Insert  a  short  spoke  close  beside  handle  to  be  used  in  its  stead  for 
weaving  the  border.  Finish  with  Closed  Border  No.  2. 

Now  turn  the  basket  right  side  up,  weave  singly,  see  Fig  184,  for 
half  an  inch,  insert  new  weaver  of  dyed  raffia  or  rattan  and  weave  one 
inch,  then  another  half  inch  or  inch  in  natural  color.  Put  a  ten-inch 


122 


HOW  TO   MAKE   INDIAN   AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 


spoke  close  to  each  side  of  the  handle,  to  be  used  in  its  stead  in  weaving 
border,  and  finish  with  Closed  Border  No.  2  or  Open  Border  No.  2 
according  to  taste.  If  for  a  workbasket,  line  with  silk  to  taste. 

x  PLAITED  HANDLE.— A  handle  that  is  very  easy  to  make  is 
shown  in  Fig.  186.  Where  this  handle  is  desired  one  of  the  spokes 
must  be  left  long  enough  to  form  the  handle.  When  the  sides  of  the 
basket  are  woven  insert  two  other  spokes,  one  on  each  side  of  this  long 
spoke,  and  plait  as  shown.  These  may  all  be  doubled,  if  preferred, 
making  a  three-plait  with  two  spokes  instead  of  one.  On  finishing  the 
plait  the  ends  must  all  be  pointed  and  thrust  as  far  down  to  the  base 
on  the  other  side  of  the  basket  as  possible,  plenty  of  rattan  being  left 
for  this  purpose. 

METHOD  OF  HOLDING  BASKET  WHEN  WEAVING 
SIDES. — Fig.  187  clearly  shows  the  base  finished,  the  spokes  twined 
up  and  all  ready  for  the  sides.  Now  place  the  basket  on  smooth  board, 
thrust  a  small  awl  through  the  base  into  the  board.  The  awl  thus  acts 
as  a  pivot  on  which  the  basket  may  be  moved  while  the  side  weaving 
progresses. 


FIG.   187a.     KLIKITAT   BASKET   IN  FROHMAN  COLLECTION. 


HOW  TO   MAKE   INDIAN   AND   OTHER  BASKETS. 


I23 


CHAPTER    XIX. 

FINISHING  OFF  A  BASKET. 

In  all  raffia  work  care  should  be  taken  to  cut  off  loose  ends  as  the 
weaver  progresses  with  her  work.  In  rattan,  splint,  willow  and  other 
ware  small  fibers  will  split  off  from  the  work,  and  these  can  be  either 
singed  off  or  rubbed  off  with  fine  sandpaper.  In  singeing  be  careful 
not  to  scorch  the  basket. 

While  the  work  is  damp  it  can  easily  be  twisted  into  shape,  hence, 
before  it  is  allowed  to  dry,  one  should  correct  all  irregularities.  See  if 
the  shape  is  as  it  should  be ;  especially  examine  the  loops  of  the  border 


FIG.    188.      YAKUTAT    GOOD    LUCK    RATTLE    BASKETS,    IN    FROHMAN   COLLECTION. 

and  see  that  they  are  all  of  the  same  size ;  make  the  bottom  flat  and  the 
lid  to  fit.  Things  of  this  nature  seem  small,  yet  upon  them  often 
depends  the  difference  between  a  poor  and  a  good  basket. 

Dyeing,  I  think,  should  always  be  done  before  the  basket  is  made — 
while  the  materials  are  still  unformed.  Only  in  this  way  can  designs 
be  worked  out.  If,  however,  the  weaver  desires  baskets  of  one  color, 
it  may  be  as  well  to  dye  the  completed  work.  If  so,  follow  the  methods 
suggested  in  the  chapter  on  dyes. 

Those  who  desire  to  varnish  or  polish  their  baskets  may  find  recipes 
in  Miss  White's  "How  to  Make  Baskets." 


FIG     189.      OLD    COILED    BASKETRY   IN    THE 
COLLECTION  OF  H.  E.  SARGENT,  JR. 


. 


FIG.  190.     WHITE  MOUNTAIN  APACHE  BASKETS  IN 
THE  COLLECTION  OF  H.   E.    SARGENT,   JR. 


HOW  TO   MAKE   INDIAN  AND   OTHER  BASKETS. 


125 


CHAPTER    XX. 


HOW  TO  MAKE  INDIAN  BASKETS. 


It  is  well  for  all  students  of  basketry  to  learn  how  the  Indian  has 
produced  the  wonderful  results  that  make  her  basket  work  so  famous. 
At  the  very  outset  we  are  confronted  by  the  magnitude  of  the  subject. 
Even  in  the  mechanical  work  the  Indian  showed  a  fertility  of  invention 
and  a  skill  in  execution  little  short  of  marvellous,  hence  in  this  chapter 
nothing  but  practical  hints  can  be  given,  which,  however,  will  suffice 
to  start  the  earnest  student  upon  the  true  pathway.  Of  the  poetry  and 
religion  woven  into  Indian  baskets  I  can  here  say  nothing.  In  my 
larger  book  I  have  fully  discussed  this  phase  of  the  subject,  and  he  who 


FIG.    191.      COARSE    CfiKCKER- 
WORK  OR  MAT  WEAVE. 


FIG.    192.      TWILLED   WEAVING. 


By  courtesy  of  the  U.  S.  National  Museum. 

would  work  intelligently  cannot  do  better  than  "read,  mark  and  in- 
wardly digest"  what  is  there  written. 

In  what  follows  I  have  done  little  more  than  quote  what  that  dis- 
tinguished savant  and  sweet-spirited  gentleman,  Professor  Otis  T. 
Mason,  Curator  of  the  Division  of  Ethnology  of  the  United  States 
National  Museum,  has  written  in  his  "Directions  for  Collectors  of 
American  Basketry." 

CHECKERWORK  BASKETRY.— This  is  practically  the  mat 
weave  of  the  preceding  pages.  Many  North  Pacific  Coast  as  well  as 
Atlantic  Coast  and  Canadian  Indians  use  this  weave.  Splints  of  every 
imaginable  kind  of  material  are  used  for  this  work,  and  the  warp  is 
the  same  as  the  weft.  Indeed  it  is  practically  impossible  to  tell  the 
one  from  the  other  (see  Fig.  191). 

TWILLED  BASKETRY.— A  variation  of  the  mat  weave  is  that 
which  Professor  Mason  calls  by  this  name.  The  fundamental  technic 
of  this  work  is  in  passing  each  strand  of  the  woof  over  two  or  more 
warp  strands,  thus  producing  a  twilled  effect  as  seen  in  Figs.  192  and 
193. 


126 


HOW  TO   MAKE   INDIAN   AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 


"The  North  Americans  of  antiquity  were  very  skillful  in  administer- 
ing the  twilled  technic.  From  examples  reproduced  by  W.  H.  Holmes 
it  will  be  seen  that  in  the  ancient  weaving  of  the  Mississippi  Valley, 
in  its  southern  portions,  the  weft  would  not  pass  over  the  same  number 
of  warp  elements  that  it  passed  under.  On  the  specimen  shown  (Fig. 
194)  the  weft  goes  over  one  and  under  three,  or  the  opposite,  each 
time  and  each  way."  The  Fijians  make  remarkable  baskets  by  com- 
binations of  this  weave.  In  this  country  the  Chetamaches  show  mar- 
vellous ingenuity  in  the  working  out  of  designs  in  this  weave  by  vary- 
ing the  laying  of  the  splints  and  the  use  of  different  colors.  Scores  of 
designs  may  be  made  by  the  curious,  but  it  is  doubtful  if  one  can  be 
invented  that  these  Indians  have  not  long  known.  (See  Figs.  10,  n, 
39  and  40). 

The  ordinary  WICKER  WORK  web  basketry  of  civilization  is 
Indian  work,  the  finest  specimens  being  the  plaques  of  the  Hopis, 


FIG.    197.      T  VV  iJS  ID D    W  .fa] A  V  J.N G 
IN  TWO  COLORS. 


FiG.  193.     TWILLED  WEAVING. 

By  courtesy  of  the  U.  S.  National  Museum. 

made  only  at  Oraibi,  and  specimens  of  which  are  found  in  "Indian 
Basketry,"  Figs.  165  and  167. 

WRAPPED  WEFT. — This  type  of  weaving  was  employed  by  the 
Mound  Builders  of  the  Mississippi  Valley,  and  is  still  used  by  the 
Mohaves.  A  rigid  hoop  is  sustained  by  four  uprights,  all  rigidly 
affixed  at  the  bottom.  The  warp  extends  from  the  top  to  the  bottom, 
firmly  fastened  to  the  hoop  at  the  top  and  the  rigid  members  at  the 
bottom.  The  weft,  of  twine  or  yucca  fiber,  is  fastened  to  one  of  the 
rigid  uprights  and  then  wrapped  once  around  each  wrap  element,  con- 
tinuing in  a  coil  until  the  top  is  reached.  The  process  is  clearly  shown 
in  Figs.  195  and  196. 

TWINED  WEAVING.— This  is  the  most  intricate  and  elegant  of 
all  woven  work.  Professor  Mason  thus  writes  of  the  varieties  of 
twined  weaving  as  follows  : 

"Twined  work  has  a  set  of  warp  rods  or  rigid  elements,  as  in 
wickerwork ;  but  the  weft  elements  are  commonly  administered  in  pairs, 
though  in  three-ply  twining  and  in  braid  twining  three  weft  elements 
are  employed.  In  passing  from  warp  to  warp  these  elements  are  twisted 
in  half-turns  on  each  other  so  as  to  form  a  two-ply  or  three-ply  twine 
or  braid.  According  to  the  relation  of  these  weft  elements  to  one 
another  and  to  the  warp,  different  structures  result  as  follows : 

i.    Plain  twined  weaving,  over  single  warps. 


HOW  TO   MAKE   INDIAN   AND   OTHER  BASKETS. 


127 


2.  Diagonal  twined  weaving  or  twill,  over  two  or  more  warps. 

3.  Wrapped  twined  weaving,  or  bird-cage  twine,   in  which  one 
weft  element  remains  rigid  and  the  other  is  wrapped  about  the  cross- 
ings. 

4.  Latticed  twined  weaving,  tee  or  Hudson  stitch,  twined  work 
around  vertical  warps  crossed  by  horizontal  weft  element. 

5.  Three-ply  twined  weaving  and  braiding  in  several  styles." 

i.     PLAIN  TWINED  WEAVING— This  primitive  mode  of  weav- 


FIG.    194. 


TWILLED    WEAVING    PRESSED    ON    ANCIENT 
POTTERY  OF  ALABAMA. 


By  courtesy  of  the  U.  S.  National  Museum. 

ing  requires  a  set  of  warp  elements  arranged  parallel  to  each  other. 
Two  splints  or  weavers  compose  the  woof  and  they  are  twisted  with  a 
half  turn  around  each  warp  stem.  The  Aleut  and  Haida  baskets  in 
Fig.  198  are  made  in  this  weave,  which  is  clearly  shown  in  Fig.  197. 
Other  examples  will  be  found  illustrated  in  "Indian  Basketry." 

2.  DIAGONAL  TWINED  WEAVING.— The  only  difference 
between  this  style  and  the  plain  is  in  the  manner  the  woof  weavers 
cross  the  warp  strands.  "The  technic  consists  in  passing  over  two  or 


FIG.   195.     WRAPPED   WEAVING 
OF   THE   MOHAVES. 

Figs.  195  and  196  by  courtesy 
of  the  U.  S.  National  Museum. 


FIG.  196.     WRAPPED  WEAVING 

FROM  A  MOUND 

IN  OHIO. 

more  warp  elements  at  each  half  turn ;  there  must  be  an  odd  number 
of  warps,  for  in  the  rest  round  the  same  pairs  of  warps  are  not  in- 
cluded in  the  half  turns.  The  ridges,  therefore,  on  the  outside,  are 
not  vertical  as  in  plain  twined  weaving,  but  pass  diagonally  over  the 
surface."  (See  Fig.  199). 

The  esuwas,  or  water  bottles,  of  the  Havasupais  are  made  in  this 
style,  (see  Fig.  222  Indian  Basketry),  and  many  of  the  fine  baskets  of 
the  Pomas  are  also  made  in  a  similar  manner. 

Fig.  200  "shows  how,  by  varying  the  color  of  the  weft  splints  and 


128 


HOW  TO   MAKE   INDIAN   AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 


changing  from  diagonal  to  plain  weaving,  the  artist  is  enabled  to  con- 
trol absolutely  the  figure  on  the  surface." 

3.     WRAPPED  TWINED  WEAVING.— In  this  weave  one  ele- 


FIG.    198. 


^ 


ment  of  the  twine  is  passed  horizontally  along  the  upright  warp  stem, 
generally  on  the  inside,  while  the  other  is  wrapped  around  it  and  the 
upright  warp,  as  seen  in  Fig.  201.  The  variation  of  one  row  of  stitches 


PIG.   199.     DIAGONAL 
TWINED   WEAVING. 


Figs.  199  and  200  by  courtesy 
of  U.  S.  National  Museum. 


FIG    200.     VARIETY  OF  TWINED 
WORK  OUTSIDE. 


inclining  to  the  right  and  the  other  to  the  left  is  caused  by  the  weaver's 
wrapping  from  above  or  below.  When  the  rows  of  these  stitches  are 
forced  closely  upon  one  another  the  effect  is  as  in  Fig.  202,  which  is  the 


HOW  TO   MAKE   INDIAN   AND   OTHER  BASKETS. 


129 


exact  method  followed  by  the  Neah  Bay  weavers.     (For  example,  see 
Fig.  255  Indian  Basketry). 

Fig1.  203  "shows  a  square  inch  of  the  inside  of  a  basket,  with  plain 
twined  weaving  in  the  two  rows  at  the  top ;  plain  twined  weaving  in 
which  each  turn  passes  over  two  warp  rods  in  four  rows  just  below. 


KM;,  mi.    WRAPPED 

TWINED   WEAVING. 


FIG.  202.     NEAH  BAY  WEAVING, 
WRAPPED,  TWINED. 


In  the  middle  of  the  figure,  at  the  right  side,  it  will  be  seen  how  the 
wrapped  or  Neah  Bay  twined  work  appears  on  the  inside,  and  in  the 
lower  right-hand  corner  is  the  inside  view  of  diagonal  twined  weaving. 
In  the  exquisite  piece  from  which  this  drawing  was  made,  the  skillful 
woman  has  combined  four  styles  of  two-ply  twined  weaving.  On  the 


.bMG.  206.     THE  TI  WEAVE 
OF  THE  POMAS. 


FIG.   203.     TWINED   WEAVING,  INSIDE. 

The  above  four  cuts  by  the  courtesy  of  the  U.  S.  National  Museum. 

outside  of  the  basket  these  various  methods  stand  for  delicate  patterns 
in  color."     (See  Fig.  200). 

4.  LATTICE  TWINED  WEAVING.  It  is  believed  that  this 
form  of  weave  is  confined  to  the  Pomas.  It  is  described  in  "Indian 
Basketry,"  page  99,  under  the  name  of  the  Ti  Weave.  "The  ti  (pro- 


130 


HOW  TO   MAKE   INDIAN  AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 


nounced  tee)  twined  weaving  consists  of  four  elements — (a)  the  up- 
right warp  of  rods,  (b)  a  horizontal  warp  crossing  these  at  right 
angles,  and  (c,  d)  a  regular  plain  twined  weaving  of  two  elements, 
holding  the  warps  firmly  together.  (See  Fig.  205).  Baskets  made  in 
this  fashion  are  very  rigid  and  strong,  and  frequently  the  hoppers  of 
mills  for  grinding  acorns,  and  also  water-tight  jars  are  thus  con- 
structed." 

5.      THREE-PLY    TWINED   WEAVING.— "Three-ply    twined 


FIG.  206.     THREK-PLY  BRAID  AND 
TWINED  WORK,  OUTSIDE. 


FIG.   107.     DITTO,  INSIDE. 


weaving  is  the  use  of  three  weft  splints  and  other  kinds  of  weft  ele- 
ments instead  of  two,  and  there  are  four  ways  of  administering  the  weft, 
viz. :  a.  Three-ply  twine,  b.  Three-ply  braid,  c.  Three-ply,  false  em- 
broidery, Tlinkit.  d.  Frapped,  Skokomish. 

(a)  THREE-PLY  TWINE  (Figs.  206  and  207).— In  this  technic 
the  basket  weaver  holds  in  her  hand  three  weft  elements  of  any  of  the 
kinds  mentioned.  In  twisting  these  three,  each  one  of  the  strands,  as 


a 

FIG.   208.     THREE-PLY  BRAID, 
OUTSIDE. 


6 

FIG.   209.     DITTO,    INSIDE. 
The  above  four  cuts  by  the  courtesy  of  the  U.  S.  National  Museum. 


it  passes  inward,  is  carried  behind  the  warp  stem  adjoining;  so  that  in 
a  whole  revolution  the  three  weft  elements  have  in  turn  passed  behind 
three  warp  elements.  After  that  the  process  is  repeated.  By  referring 
to  the  lower  halves  of  Figs.  206  and  207  the  outside  and  the  inside  of 
this  technic  will  be  made  plain. 

On  the  outside  there  is  the  appearance  of  a  two-ply  string  laid 
along  the  warp  stems,  while  on  the  inside  the  texture  looks  like  plain 
twined  weaving.  The  reason  for  this  is  apparent,  since  in  every  third 


HOW  TO   MAKE   INDIAN   AND   OTHER  BASKETS. 


of  a  revolution  one  element  passes  behind  the  warp  and  two  remain  in 
front. 

(b)  THREE-PLY  BRAID.— In  three-ply  braid  the  weft  elements 
are  held  in  the  hand  in  the  same  fashion,  but  instead  of  being  twined 
simply  they  are  plaited  or  braided,  and  as  each  element  passes  under 
one  and  over  the  other  of  the  remaining  two  elements,  it  is  carried 


FIG.    210.      THREE-PLY    AND 
PLAIN  TWINED  WORK. 


FIG.   211.     OVERLAID  TWINED   WEAVING. 


inside  a  warp  stem.  This  process  is  better  understood  by  examining 
the  upper  parts  of  Figs.  206  and  207  and  208  and  209.  On  the  surface, 
when  the  work  is  driven  home,  it  is  impossible  to  discriminate  between 
three-ply  twine  and  three-ply  braid.  The  three-ply  braid  is  found  at 
the  starting  of  all  Poma  twined  baskets,  no  matter  how  the  rest  is  built 
up. 

Fig.  210  shows  a  square  inch  from  the  surface  of  a  Hopi  twined  jar. 


FIG.    212.     FRAPPED 
TWINED    WORK. 

Figs.  210,  211  and  212  by  courtesy  of  the  U.  S.  National  Museum. 

The  lower  part  is  in  plain  twined  weaving;  the  upper  part  is  in  three- 
ply  twine." 

'( c)  THREE-PLY,  FALSE  EMBROIDERY.— "In  Tlinkit  basketry 
the  body  is  worked  in  spruce  root,  which  is  exceedingly  tough.  The 
ornamentation  in  which  mythological  symbols  are  concealed  consists  of 
a  species  of  false  embroidery  in  which  the  figures  appear  on  the  outside 
of  the  basket  but  not  on  the  inside.  In  the  needlework  of  the  civilized 


132 


HOW   TO   MAKE   INDIAN  AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 


woman  the  laying  of  this  third  element  would  be  called  embroidery, 
but  the  Indian  woman  twines  it  into  the  textile  while  the  process  of 
basket  making  is  going  on;  that  is,  when  each  of  the  weft  elements 
passes  between  two  warp  rods  outward,  the  colored  or  overlaid  element 


FIG.  215.     WASHOE  BASKET 
IN  FROHMAN  COLLECTION. 


FIG.  216.     YOKUT  BASKET 
IN   FROHMAN    COLLECTION. 


is  wrapped  around  it  once.     Straws  of  different  colors  are  employed 
(Fig.  211). 

(d)  FRAPPED  BASKETRY,  Skokomish  type.— An  interesting 
modification  of  this  Tlinkit  form  of  overlaying  or  false  embroidery 
occurs  occasionally  among  the  Poma  Indians  under  the  name  of  bog 
or  bag,  and  it  is  fully  explained  and  illustrated  by  James  Teit  in  his 
Memoir  on  the  Thompson  River  Indians.  In  this  Thompson  River 


FIG.  217.   YOKUT  BASKET 
IN  FROHMAN  COLLECTION. 


FIG.  218.  POMO  BAM  TUSH  WEAVE 
IN  FROHMAN  COLLECTION. 


example  the  twine  or  weft  element  is  three-ply.  Two  of  them  are  spun 
from  native  hemp  or  milkweed,  and  form  the  regular  twined  two-ply 
weaving.  Around  this  twine  the  third  element  is  wrapped  or  served, 
passing  about  the  other  two  and  between  the  warp  elements,  and  then 
the  whole  is  pressed  down  close  to  the  former  rows  of  weaving.  On 


HOW  TO   MAKE   INDIAN   AND   OTHER  BASKETS. 


133 


the  outside  of  this  bag  the  wrapping  is  diagonal,  but  on  the  inside  the 
turns  are  perpendicular.  The  fastening  off  is  coarsely  done,  leaving 
the  surface  extremely  rough.  I  am  indebted  to  Dr.  Franz  Boas  for  the 


FIG.  219.  YOKUT  DANCE  BASKET 
IN  FROHMAN  COLLECTION. 


FIG.  220.   DECORATED  YOKUT 

BOTTLE-NECK  IN 
FROHMAN  COLLECTION. 


use  of  Mr.  Teit's  figure.  This  combination  is  extremely  interesting. 
The  author  says  that  it  "seems  to  have  been  acquired  recently  through 
intercourse  with  the  Shahaptins."  A  little  attention  to  the  stitches  will 


FIG.    221.      KL1KITAT     IMBRICATED    WORK. 
By  courtesy  of  the  U.  S.  National  Museum. 

show  that  the  bags  and  the  motives  on  them  are  clearly  Nez  Perces  or 
Shahaptian,  but  the  wrapping  of  corn  husk  outside  the  twine  are  not 
done  in  Nez  Perces  fashion,  but  after  the  style  of  the  Makah  Indians 
of  Cape  Flattery,  who  are  Wakashan  (Fig.  212)," 


134 


HOW  TO   MAKE   INDIAN   AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 


Of  Coiled  Basketry  I  have  already  quoted  Professor  Mason's  clear 
analysis.  The  following  pictures  show  a  variety  of  specimens  of  coiled 
work,  largely  from  the  Frohman  collection,  Portland,  Ore. 

Fig.  189  shows  some  beautiful  specimens  of  old  coiled  work  gath- 
ered" by  Mr.  A.  E.  Sargent,  Jr.,  in  Arizona  and  New  Mexico.  They 
are  all  Apache  baskets,  the  weave  of  which  is  described  in  "Indian 
Basketry."  Fig.  190  is  of  new  White  Mountain  Apache  baskets  in 


FIG.  222.     IMBRICATED  BASKETRY 
WORK  OF  THOMPSON 

RIVER  INDIANS. 
AFTER  JAMES  TEIT. 

By  courtesy  of  the  U.  S.  National  Museum. 

Mr.  Sargent's  collection.    The  whole  five  are  most  beautiful  specimens, 
with  striking  designs. 

Fig.  215  is  a  Washoe  basket  in  the  Frohman  collection.  The  weave 
is  of  the  coiled  variety,  and  the  design  is  similar  to  that  of  Maidu 
pine  cone  design.  (Fig.  322  Indian  Basketry). 

Figs.  216  and  217  are  Yokut  baskets  of  good  shape,  weave  and  de- 


FIG.     223.      IMBRICATED     COILED 
WORK,    CALLED    K.L.IKITAT. 

By  courtesy  of  the  U.  S.  National  Museum. 

sign.  The  latter  has  a  circle  of  dancers  and  of  the  rattlesnake  dia- 
monds. 

Fig.  218  is  a  good  specimen  of  the  Bam  Tush  Poma  weave,  fully 
explained  on  page  96,  "Indian  Basketry/' 

Figs.  219  and  220  are  both  fine  Yokut  baskets,  the  latter  being  a 
bottle  neck,  with  a  circle  of  dancers  on  the  flange,  and  with  quail 
plumes  as  an  additional  decoration  on  the  rim. 

KLIKITAT  BASKETRY.— As  a  frontispiece  in  "Indian  Basketry" 
are  seen  two  Klikitat  basket  weavers  at  work.  Their  materials  are, 


HOW  TO   MAKE   INDIAN   AND   OTHER  BASKETS. 


135 


for  the  foundation,  cedar  or  spruce  root,  while  the  sewing  is  done  with 
the  outer  and  tough  portion  of  the  root.  In  Fig.  221  the  detail  of  this 
imbricated  method  of  weave  is  shown.  Strips  of  cherry  bark,  cedar  bast 
and  grass  stems,  dyed  with  Oregon  grape,  are  added  as  ornament. 
"The  strip  of  colored  bark  or  grass  is  laid  down  and  caught  under  a 
passing  stitch ;  before  another  stitch  is  taken  this  one  is  bent  forward 
to  cover  the  last  stitch,  doubled  on  itself  so  as  to  be  underneath  the  next 
stitch,  and  so  with  each  one  it  is  bent  backward  and  forward  so  that 
the  sewing  is  entirely  concealed,  forming  a  sort  of  "knife  plaiting." 
In  some  of  the  finer  old  baskets  in  the  National  Museum,  collected 


PIG.  224.    POMA  SHU-SET  WEAVE   BOWL  AND   BURDEN   BASKET  IN    FROHMAN  COLLECTION' 


sixty  years  ago,  the  entire  surface  is  covered  with  work  of  this  kind, 
the  strips  not  being  over  an  eighth  of  an  inch  wide.  Mr.  James 
Teit  describes  and  illustrates  this  type  of  weaving  among  the  Thomp- 
son River  Indians  of  British  Columbia,  who  are  Salishan.  The  body 
of  the  basket  is  in  the  root  of  Thuja  gigantea,  and  the  ornamentation 
in  strips  of  Elymus  triticoides  and  Prunus  demissa  (Fig.  222). 

Imbrication  is  one  of  the  most  restricted  of  technical  processes. 
Eells  says  that  some  women  in  every  tribe  on  Puget  Sound  could  pro- 
duce the  stitch,  and  he  names  the  Puyallups,  Twanas,  Snohomish, 
Clallam,  Makah,  Skagit,  Cowlitz,  Chehalis,  Nisqualli,  and  Squaxon.  It 
is  understood  that  here  it  is  a  modern  acquirement.  It  is  the  native  art 
of  the  Klikitat,  Yakima,  and  Spokanes,  all  of  whom  are  of  the  Shahap- 
tian  family.  The  Thompson  River  Indians,  who  are  Salishan,  have 
long  known  the  art." 


136  HOW  TO   MAKE   INDIAN   AND  OTHER  BASKETS. 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

BIBLIOGRAPHY. 

Firth,  Annie, 

Cane  Basket  Work,  First  Series. 
Cane  Basket  Work,  Second  Series. 

L.  Upcott  Gill,  170  Strand,  London. 
James,  George  Wharton, 

Indian  Basketry. 

Henry  Malkan,  New  York. 
The  Indians  of  the  Painted  Desert  Region. 

Little,  Brown  &  Co.,  Boston,  Mass. 
Knapp,  Eliz.  Sanborn, 

Raphia  and  Reed  Weaving. 

Milton  Bradley  Co.,  Springfield,  Mass. 


FIG.  225.    DECORATED  SHI-BFJ,  THE  SUN  BASKETS  OF  THE  POMAS  IN  FROHMAN  COLLECTION 

Mason,  O.  T., 

Directions  for  Collectors  of  American  Basketry. 

Part  P,  Bulletin  of  the  U.  S.  Nat.  Museum,  No.  39. 
Purdy,  Carl, 

Pomo  Indian  Baskets  and  Their  Makers. 

Los  Angeles,  Calif.,  1902. 
Stearns,  Martha  Watrous, 

A  School  Without  Books. 

Review  and  Herald  Pub.  Co.,  Battle  Creek,  Mich. 
White,  Mary. 

How  to  Make  Baskets. 

Doubleday,  Page  &  Co.,  New  York. 


THE  BASKET   FRATERNITY. 


UCH   a  demand    exists    for   a  means  of 
communication  between,  and  source  of 
information  among  basket   lovers   that 
THE    BASKET    FRATERNITY   has  been 
organized  by  George  Wharton  James. 

It  has  a  large  charter  membership  from  its  start.     The  charter 
roll  will  remain  open  until  the  end  of  1903. 

Its  only  conditions  for  membership  are  that  you  are  interested  in 
Indian  or  other  baskets,  and  send  your  Fraternity  fee  of  one  dollar. 


Do  you  want  a  loan  collection  of  fine  Indian  Baskets  in  your 
town  or  village  ? 

Then  join  The  Basket  Fraternity  and  get  nineteen  others  to  do 
so,  and  the  collection  will  be  sent  to  you  without  charge. 


Do  you  want  a  lecture  on  Indian  Basketry  ? 

Read  page  4  and  you  will  see  how  it  may  be  had. 


T 


HE  BASKET  FRATERNITY  is  a  society  of  basket  lovers, 
organized  for  the  purpose  of  bringing  together  those  who  have 
felt  the  charm  and  fascination  of  Indian  basketry. 


ITS  OBJECTS  ARK: 

1.  To  form  a  means   of   communication   between   basket   lovers 
throughout  the  world. 

2.  To  collect  reliable  and  accurate  knowledge  of  Indian  weavers' 
methods  and  work. 

3.  To  photograph  aboriginal  weavers  and  make  a  collection  of  said 
photographs. 

4.  To  seek  in  every  way  to  revive  the  art  and  prevent  its  dying  out 
among  the  Indians. 

5.  To   discourage   among    the    Indians    the    modern    commercial 
methods,  which  encourage   the  making  of  baskets  merely  for  sale, 
foster  the  use  of  aniline  dyes,  alien  designs,  hastily  prepared  materials 
and  crude  workmanship. 

6.  To  encourage  the  opposite  of  the  spirit  referred  to  above  :  to  seek 
to  retain  the  love  for  good  and  artistic  work ;  to  banish  aniline  dyes, 
and  restore  the  use  of  native  dyes,  native  shapes  and  designs,  carefully 
prepared  materials  and  artistic  work. 

7.  To  seek  to  influence  the  Indian  department  of  the  United  States 
Government  to  earnestly  endeavor  to  work  to  this  end  among  all  the 
agents,  superintendents  and  teachers  in  its  service,  and  to  require  all 
young  Indian  girls  to  learn  the  art  as  part  of  their  school  training. 

8.  To  make  a  national  collection  of  typical  baskets  of  every  weave 
and  style  to  be  found   throughout  the  world,   but  especially  and 
primarily  of  baskets  made  by  the  aboriginal  tribes  of  North  America. 
This  collection  to  be  placed  in  some  suitable  location  where  it  will  be 
accessible  at  all  times  to  basket  lovers,  and  especially  for  the  pleasure 
and  study  of  members  of  this  fraternity. 

9.  To  organize  a  "traveling  library"  of  veritable  typical  Indian 
baskets  and  send  these  as  required  to  members  of  the  fraternity  for 
study  and  exhibition.      Such  a  collection  of  basketry  is  already  made, 
and  is  ready  for  its  travels  on  call  from  those  entitled  to  it.  • 

10.  To  arrange  for  the  gathering  and  distribution  of  Indian  mate- 
rials for  basket  weaving  which  shall  be  sold  to  members  of  the 
fraternity  at  as  near  cost  as  possible. 

11.  To  prepare  a  set  of  stereopticon   slides,  with   accompanying 
lecture,  which  will  be  loaned  on  payment  of  a  small  fee  to  any  member 
of  the  fraternity.     To  prepare  such  slides  also  for  sale. 

12.  To  distribute  among  its  members  photographs  or  engravings  of 
fine  and  typical  baskets  of  all  makes,  and  of  representative  Indian 
weavers. 

13.  To  disseminate  information  among  its  members  relating  to  the 
art  and  the  objects  of  the  fraternity. 

14.  To  secure  the  ends  aimed  at  in  Sections  12  and  13,  to  prepare, 
and  issue  quarterly  an    illustrated   bulletin   of   general   or   specific 
interest  to  basketry  lovers  and  collectors  and  to  send  this  bulletin, 
when  issued,  free  to  all  members  of  the  fraternity. 


15.  To  arrange  for  lectures  on  Indian  basketry  when  and  where 
possible,  either  to  members  of  the  fraternity  or  to  outsiders  desirous 
of  knowing  of  its  work ;   to  organize  classes  for  the  teaching  of 
basketry,  and  to  enlarge  the  circle  of  those  who  know  and  love  good 
basketry  work. 

1 6.  To  promote  the  organization  of  classes  for  the  teaching  of 
basketry  in  orphan  asylums,  prisons,  poor  houses,  insane  asylums  and 
other   eleemosinary  establishments  in  order   that  easy  and  simple 
employment  may  be  found  for  the  unfortunate  which  will  help  relieve 
the  harmful  monotony  of  their  lives. 

17.  To  set  in  motion  all  possible  machinery  for  the  creating  of 
markets  for  baskets  so  made,  as  well  as  the  baskets  made  by  the  Indians, 
im  order  that  their  makers  may  derive  as  much  financial  benefit  as 
possible  from  their  labors. 

The  fraternity  fee  is  $1.00  per  year,  payable  on  application.  En- 
trance may  be  made  at  any  time  during  the  year.  In  return  for  this 
fee  the  members  of  the  fraternity  are  assured  that  they  will  receive : 

1.  The  four  bulletins,  issued  quarterly,  referred  to  in  Section  14. 
The  first  of  these  is  a  beautifully  illustrated  hand-book  entitled 

"How  to  Make  Indian  and  Other  Baskets,"  by  George  Wharton 
James,  author  of  "Indian  Basketry,"  and  originator  of  The  Basket 
Fraternity.  * 

The  second  is  in  preparation  and  will  be  entitled  ' '  Living  Indian 
Weavers. "  It  will  comprise  fully  twenty  portraits  of  typical  Indian 
weavers,  with  descriptive  accounts  of  their  work.  It  will  be  issued 
April  i. 

The  third  bulletin  will  be  entitled  "Typical  Indian  Basket  Shapes," 
and  will  contain  not  less  than  twenty  plates  of  exquisitely  shaped 
Indian  baskets.  It  will  be  issued  July  i. 

The  fourth  bulletin  will  be  entitled  "Typical  Indian  Designs,"  and 
will  contain  fully  twenty  illustrations  of  baskets  of  superior  design. 
It  will  be  issued  October  i. 

2.  Whenever  twenty  members  of  the  fraternity,  living  in  one  town 
or  section,  unite  in  asking  for  the  loan  of  an  Indian  basketry  col- 
lection, it  will  be  sent  to  them  on  guarantee  of  its  safety  and  the 
payment  of  freight  charges  both  ways. 

Forms  of  application  for  such  a  loan  will  be  sent  on  request. 

3.  Whenever  fifty  members  of  the  fraternity  petition  for  a  lecturer, 
and  will  guarantee  a  small  fee  and  necessary  expenses,  one  will  be 
sent,  in  order  to  further  the  work  of  the  fraternity. 

The  headquarters  of  The  Basket  Fraternity  is  Pasadena,  California, 
where  the  nucleus  of  the  national  collection  and  the  ' '  traveling 
libraries  "  of  Indian  baskets  are  located. 

Address  all  communications  and  make  all  P.  O.  Orders  payable  to 

THE  BASKET  FRATERNITY, 
STATION  A, 

PASADENA,  CALIFORNIA. 

Forms  of  application  for  membership  will  be  sent  on  request.  The 
first  bulletin  will  be  forwarded  as  early  as  possible  after  receipt  of  the 
fraternity  fee  of  one  dollar. 


INDEX. 


Chap.  I.     Introduction    5 

II.  The  Spirit  in  which  Basket-Making  should  be  Approached. . .    10 

III.  Choice  of  Material 14 

IV.  The  Preparation  of  Materials 18 

V.     Dyes ;  How  to  Make  and  Use  Them 28 

VI.     Tools  and  Terms 32 

VII.     How    to    Begin 34 

VIII.    The  Mat  Weave 37 

IX.     The  Plait  or  Braid 48 

X.     The    Net    Weave 52 

XL     The   Coil   Weave 58 

XII.     The  Web  Weave 73 

XIII.  Insertion   and    Borders 77 

XIV.  More   about   Bases 84 

XV.     Web  Weaving  Continued 89 

XVI.     Splint  and  Sweet  Grass  Baskets 93 

XVII.     Fancy    Borders 103 

XVIII.     A  Few  Baskets 107 

XIX.     Finishing  the  Basket 123 

XX.     How  to  Make  Indian  Baskets 125 

XXL     Bibliography     136 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Fig 

2. 
3. 
4. 
5. 
6. 
7. 


10. 
11. 
12. 
13. 
14. 
15. 
16. 
17. 
18. 
19. 
20. 
21. 
22. 
23. 
24. 
25. 
26. 
27. 
28. 


31. 
32. 
33. 
34. 

85. 
36. 
37. 


40. 

41. 

42. 

43. 

44. 

45. 

46. 

47. 

48. 

49. 

50. 

50a. 

51. 

52. 

53. 

54. 
55. 
56. 
57. 
58. 
59. 
60. 
61. 
62. 
63. 
64. 
65. 
66. 


Page. 
Apple    Green    Basket,    Deerfield...    4 

Mouse    Basket    6 

Corn    Husk   Poppy    Basket    8 

Fancy    Splint    Basket    10 

Splint  and  Sweet  Grass  Fan   12 

Baskets  of  Splint  and  Sweet  Grass  13 
Base  of  Baskets  shown  in  Fig.  6..  14 

fcwale  Grass  Tray,  Deerfield 15 

Red  Bird  Basket,  Deerfield 16 

Chetemache    Mat    17 

Deerfield    Straw    Baskets    18 

Splint  and   Sweet  Grass  Baskets   .  20 
Picotie  Pink  Basket,  Deerfield  ....  22 

Splint    Baskets     24 

Reed  Baskets,   Deerfield   24 

Weaver   Splint   Cutter    25 

Foundation   Splint   Cutter    25 

A    Splint    32 

Single    Weaving    32 

Double    Weaving    32 

Pairing    

Triple   Weave   

Rope    Twist    33 

Raffia  Bound   Picture   Frames 26 

Raffia  Wrapped  Articles  34 

Toy  Chair  of  Wrapped  Raffia 36 

Magazine  Holder   35 


Fig.                                                               page. 
o«.    Button  Hole  Stitch  on  Ring 58 

68.  "  ..  58 

69.  Covered  Napkin  Rings 58 

70.  Simple   Coiled   Baskets   with   Vari- 

ation    58 

71.  Simple  Coiled  Trays 60 

72.  Pine  Needle  Coiled  Baskets 60 

73.  Wrapping  Before   Coiling tu 

74.  Beginning  the  Coil 61 

75.  Detail   of  Coil 61 

76.  Cross     Sections     of     Varieties     in 

Coiled    Basketry    62 

77.  Detail  of  Interlocking  Stitches 63 

78.  Detail  of  Single-Rod  Coil 63 

79.  Foundation  of  Two  Rods 63 

80.  Rod  and  Welt  Coiled  Work 63 

81.  Foundation  of  Three  Rods 64 

82.  Foundation   of  Splints 64 

83.  Interlocking  Coils,   Straw   Founda- 

tion      64 

84.  Open  Coil,  Inclosing  Part  of  Foun- 

dation       64 

33     85.    Interlocking   Coils,    Shred   Founda- 
tion       65 

86-87-88.    Fugeian    Coiled    Basket    and 

Details    65 

Coiled    Raffia   Baskets    66 


Simple    Coiled   Baskets    37 

Simple  Mat  Weave— Open  38 

"    —Closed    38 

Table  Mat   39 

Interlacing     Strands    of     Different 

Colors    41 

Interlacing    Strands     of     Different 

Colors   41 

Isolated  Figures  Produced  by  Mod- 
ifying Order  of  Intersection  41 

Mat  Foundation  Work   41 

Accordeon     Plait,     Diagonal     Mat 

Weave,    etc 40 

Chetemache   Mat    40 

40 

Splint  Picture  Frame  Foundation..  42 

Splint  Picture  Frame 42 

Splint    Mat    Weave    Baskets 42 

Market  and  Other  Baskets 42 

••      45 

Caning  a  Chair  46 

Cane  Tie   46 

Caning   a    Chair    46 

Weave   of  Chair  Cane    46 

Articles  of  Plaited  Raffia,  etc 49 

Bottom  of  Deerfield  Basket 51 

Plaited  Belts1  50 

Hoop   and    School    Bag    of   Plaited 

Raffia    47 

Doll's    Hat    and    Tray    of    Plaited 

Raffia    47 

Plaited  Raffia  Hats  52 

53 

Baskets  of  Plaited  Raffia  54 

55 

Five  Strand   Plait   of   Raffia 56 

Stick  and  Knot  of  Raffia 56 

Single    Net   Mesh    56 


Netted  Bags  of  Raffia,  etc. 
Net  Mesh   . 


89. 
90. 
91. 
92. 
93. 


95. 
96. 

97. 

98. 
99. 

100. 
101. 
102. 
103. 
104. 
105. 
106. 

107. 
108. 
1C9. 
110. 
111. 
112. 
113. 
114. 
115. 
UK. 
117. 
118. 
119. 
120. 
121. 
122. 
123. 
124. 
125. 
126. 
127. 

128. 
129. 
130. 


70 

70 

Book  M,ark  of  Splint  and  Web 

Weave  72 

Weaving  on  Even  Spokes 72 

Holding  Spokes1  and  Starting 

Weaver  73 

Dividing  into  Single  Spokes 73 

Inserting  Odd  Spoke 74 

Right  Side  of  Center  with  Odd 

Spoke  74 

Simple  Open  Border  No.  1 75 

Detail  of  Open  Border  No.  2 75 

Open  Border  No.  2 75 

Starting  New  Weaver 75 

Splicing  Weavers  75 

Web  Weaving  with  Raffia 76 

Simple  Rattan  Baskets,  Web 

Weave  77 

Detail  of  Insertion 78 

Insertion  78 

Open  Border  No.  3 78 

Open  Border  No.  4 78 

Detail  of  Plait 79 

Plait  7$ 

Open  Border  No.  5 79 

Detail  of  Last  Three  Spokes 79 


Closed  Border  No.  1.. 

Detail  of  Closed  Border  No.  2 


Detail  of  Closed  Border  No.  3 


88 

SO 

SO 

so 

n 

SI 

81 

Closed  Border  No.  3 81 

Detail  of  Oval  Base 82 

"       82 

Split  Spoke  for  Round  Base 82 

Spokes  Threaded  for  Round  Base.  82 
Weaving  of  Round  Base  with  Two 

Weavers    83 

Round  Base  with  Spokes  in  Pairs.  83 
Round  Base  with  Spokes  Separated  85 
Commencing  Oblong  Oval  Base —  85 


Fig.  Page. 

131.  Oblong  Oval  Base 86 

132.  Detail  of  Center  of  Oval  Base 87 

133.  "  "  "         "       87 

134.  Base  of  Twined  Weaving  with  In- 

serted Corners   84 

135.  Simple  Web  Baskets  of  Rattan....  31 

136.  Rattan  Basket  with  Plaited  Straw 

as1  Weaver   90 

137.  'Web  Woven  Bird   Nest 90 

138.  Basket  with  Fancy  Base 92 

139.  Splint  Web   Weave    92 

140.  Base   of   Splint  Basket 96 

141.  Inserting  Weaver  in  Splint  Base..  94 

142.  Jumping   Two    Spokes 90 

143.  Spokes  Turned  Up  for  Sides 9 

144.  Baskets  of  Splint  and  Sweet  Grass.  98 

145.  Splint    and    Plaited    Sweet    Grass 

Baskets    99 

146.  Splint    and    Plaited    Sweet    Grass 

Baskets    100 

147.  Madeira  Border  No.  2 102 

148.  Madeira  Pairing  for  Plait 102 

149.  Commencing  Flat  Plait  Border.... 105 

150.  Flat  Plait  Border— Second  Position 

of  Spokes   105 

151.  Ditto    in    progress,     with    Portion 

of   Finished   Border 105 

152.  Flat   Plait   Border,    Finished 105 

153.  Splint  and   Twined  Baskets 106 

154.  Collar     Baskets     of     Rush,     Raffia 

and    Splint    108 

155.  Bases'   of    Fig.   154 108 

156.  Surface    Effects    of    Twined    Open 

Work    110 

157.  Crossed  Warp,  Twined  Weaving... 110 

158.  Wristlets  or  Cuff  Protectors Ill 

159.  Baskets   from   the  Philippines 112 

160.  Deerfleld  Straw  Baskets 27 

164.  Section   of   Fluted   Flower   Basket. 

—Turning  Down   Spokes 112 

165.  Ditto.— Curve   Partly   Worked 113 

166.  Fluted    Flower   Basket 113 

167.  Starting     Square     Work    Basket.— 

Turning    Weaver    Round    Corner 
Spokes'    113 

168.  Square  Work  Basket,  Wood  Base. 114 

169.  Starting  Lid  of   Square   Basket.... 114 

170.  Turning      Weaver     Around      Last 

Spokes    114 

171.  Detail  of  Twisted  Handle 114 

172.  Ditto    .117 

173.  Oblong    Carrying    Basket 117 

174.  Commencing  Handle   of   Key  Bas- 

ket  117 


175.  Binding    Handle    of    Key    Basket, 

Commencing     117 

176.  Ditto,    Finishing    118 

177.  Shallow  Oval  Basket  118 

178.  Starting  Handle  of   Oval  Basket- 

Inside    119 

179.  Ditto— Outside    119 

180.  Binding  Handle  of  Oval  Basket... 119 

181.  Finishing  ditto    119 

182.  Finishing    off    the    Flat    Rattan   in 

Binding  a  Handle 120 

183.  Waste    Paper    Basket 120 

184.  Square    Basket— Weaving    Sides.... 120 

185.  Section  ditto  with  Straignt  Corner. i2u 

186.  Plaited  Handle    121 

187.  Method   of   Holding   Basket   When 

Weaving  Sides    121 

188.  Yakutat    Rattle    Baskets 123 

189.  Old  Coiled  Basketry 124 

190.  White   Mountain   Apache  Baskets. 124 

191.  Coarse       Checkerwork       on       Mat 

Weave    125 

192.  Twilled  Weaving  125 

193.  Ditto     126 

194.  Ditto,  Pressed  on  Ancient  Pottery.127 

195.  Wrapped  Weaving  of  the  Mohaves  127 

196.  Ditto,  from  a  Mound  in  Ohio 127 

197.  Twined  Weaving  in  Two  Colors 126 

198.  Apache.    Klikitat,    etc.,    Baskets....  128 

199.  Diagonal  Twined   Weaving 128 

200.  Variety  of  Twined  Work,  Outside.  128 

201.  Wrapped   Twined   Weaving 129 

202.  Neah  Bay  Wrapped  Twined  Weav- 

ing     129 

203.  Twined    Weaving,    Inside 129 

205.  The  Ti  Weave  of  the  Pomas 129 

206.  Three  Ply  Braid  and  Twined  Work, 

Outside     130 

207.  Ditto,    Inside    130 

208.  Three  Ply  Braid,  Outside 130 

209.  Ditto,    Inside    130 

210.  Three  Ply  and  Plain  Twined  Work.131 

211.  Overlaid    Twined    Weaving 131 

212.  Frapped   Twined   Work 131 

215.  Washoe    Basket    132 

216.  Yokut    Basket    132 

217.  Ditto     132 

218.  Poma  Bam  Tush  Weave 132 

219.  Yokut    Dance    Basket 133 

220.  Yokut   Bottle-Neck  Basket 133 

221.  Klikitat    Imbricated    Weaving 133 

222.  Imbricated      Basketry      Work      of 

Thompson   River  Indians 134 

223.  Imbricated     Coiled     Work,     Called 

Klikitat     134 


INDIAN  BASKETRY 

FULL  SIZE  WORKING  DESIGNS. 


These  are  actual  working  designs,  exquisitely  drawn  from  choice 
baskets  in  the  collection  of  George  Wharton  James  and  others,  with 
full  particulars  for  the  weaver,  showing  number  of  coils  of  weave, 
colors  of  design,  significance  of  design,  size,  etc.  Any  person  may 
succeed  in  making  a  good  basket  using  these  model  designs.  The 
list  comprises  the  following  : 

No.  J.    Mono  Burial  Basket  Suitable  for  a  waste  paper  basket. 

"    2.    Alaska  Treasure  Basket  with  Cover. 

Suitable  for  a  collar  basket  or  covered  work  basket. 

"    3.  Palatingwa" Milk  Pan0  Basket.                         Suitable  for  a  darning  basket. 

44    4.  Fine  Yokut  Bottle  Neck  Basket.                          Suitable  for  a  darning  basket. 

"    5.  Thompson  River  Carrying  Basket.                          Suitable  for  a  waste  basket. 

"    6.  Poma  Shi-Bu  Basket.                                        Suitable  for  a  toilet  table  basket. 

"    7.  Apache  Water  Olla.               Suitable  for  a  waste  paper  basket  or  for  a  plant. 

"    8.  Pima  Swastika  Design  Basket.                       Suitable  for  a  waste  paper  basket. 

"    9.  Pima  Greek  Fret  Design  Basket.                   Suitable  for  a  waste  paper  basket. 

44  JO.  Yokut  Bottle  Neck  Basket.               Suitable  for  a  work  or  toilet  table  basket. 

44  n.  Ramona's  Star  Basket.                                                     Suitable  for  a  card  tray. 

44  12.  Mono  Rattlesnake  Design  Basket.                              Suitable  for  a  work  basket. 

"  J3.  Shoshone  Chief's  Basket.                  Suitable  for  a  small  work  or  jewel  basket. 

44  14.  Palatingwa  Loving  Bird  Basket.                                   Suitable  for  work  basket. 

44  J5.  4t      Oblong  Basket.      Suitable  for  a  writing  desk  for  papers,  pencils,  etc. 

44  \6.  Ancient  Chuc-Chance  Basket.                            Suitable  for  small  work  basket. 

44  \7.  Havasupai  Plaque.                             Suitable  for  card  tray  or  wall  decoration. 

44  J8.  Palatingwa  Oval  Basket.                        Suitable  for  card  tray  or  work  basket. 

44  J9.  Mesa  Grande  Basket.                                           Suitable  for  small  work  basket. 

44  20.  Hoopa  Carrying  Basket.                Suitable  for  waste  basket,  potted  palm,  etc. 
and  six  others  in  preparation. 

Price  of  these  Designs,  15  cents  each,  two  for  25  cents, 
or  the  set  of  twenty  for  $2.00,  post  paid. 

ORDER     yy?r>M-  _ 

THE  BASKET  FRATERNITY, 

Station  A,  PASADENA,  CAL. 


NAVAJO    TRADING    STORES  I 

THOREAU    AND    FARMINGTON.    NEW  MKXICO. 


Benham   Indian    Trading   Co. 

M38    West   42d    Street,  421     South    Broadway, 

NEW    YORK.  LOS  ANGELES,  CAL. 

Albuquerque,  N.  M.,  and  Phoenix,  Ariz. 


.  WE     HANDLE  . 


Indian  and  Mexican  Goods 

Of  Every  Description — Wholesale  and  Retail. 
OUR     SPECIALTIES    ARE 

Navajo  Rug's,  Apache,   Pima  and  Hupa 
Indian  Baskets,  Beads  and  Bead  Work 

of  which  we  have  the  largest  stock  ever  shown. 


MANUFACTURERS  OF  THE 


APACHE    BEAD    WORK    LOOM 

The  only  practical   loom  made  on  which  you  can  weave  chains  and 

dress  trimmings  of  any  length — Belts,  Fobs,  Purses  and  Chatelaine 

Bags.     Insist  on  the  Genuine  Apache  Loom. 


SIMPLE     IN     CONSTRUCTION.  PRODUCES     PERFECT     RESULTS. 

Price  of  Loom  as  shown  in  cut,  50c. 
Made  of  oak,  two  spools,  handsomely  finished,  $1.00 

A  Large  Assortment  of  Beads  in  All  Colors  and  Sizes  Always  in  Stock, 

IF  ITS   GENUINE    INDIAN   WE    KEEP    IT. 

CAU,   ON   OR   ADDRESS 

Benham    Indian   Trading   Co. 

138  West  42d  Street,    NEW  YORK. 
421    South   Broadway,    LOS  ANGELES,  CAL. 


/53 


L 


